Microfiction stories
by 554Laura
Summary: Short stories written for the Bonesology Summer hiatus challenge. Of course I don't own Bones.
1. Chapter 1 hide

"Booth, what are you doing?" Brennan stood looking out the door as Booth moved quietly around their yard.

"It's Easter Sunday….I'm hiding eggs from the Easter Bunny for Christine and Joey to find."

"Don't you think it will be confusing for them mixing your religious ideas about dead people coming back to life with stories of rabbits bringing eggs? A rabbit delivering eggs is very unnatural. How would rabbits get eggs? Most mammals don't even lay eggs. If anything, it should be an Easter chicken."

"What? Chicken?! Look, it's a kid thing, alright? The kids will love it. And they'll get to practice making observations while looking for eggs. That's a good science skill, you know."

"Really, Booth, it's quite ridiculous to think that looking for Easter eggs is scientific. "

"So when you look for clues on a body, how is that different than looking for Easter eggs? They're both hidden things that have to be looked for carefully. Besides, the eggs have candy in them. So that's even better than looking for clues on a body."

"I suppose confusing our children with stories about rabbits and eggs as part of the holiday ritual is acceptable. Just don't ask me to encourage them to look for eggs."

"Well, Bones, that's too bad, because I hid an egg out here for you, and the treat inside isn't exactly candy."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's something pretty, but if you really don't want to look for it, that's okay."

"Booth!"

Don't worry about it…..I'm sure you wouldn't like anything a rabbit might bring you anyway. The kids and I will be fine looking for eggs by ourselves."

"Perhaps I should participate in this ritual to make sure our children understand that rabbits don't really bring eggs…."

"And to encourage their observation skills, right?"

"Of course."


	2. Chapter 2 amnesia

Amnesia

"Booth, I'm home….." Brennan sat down on the stool by the kitchen counter. She looked tired.

"Finally! It's pretty late. I thought maybe you forgot where we live."

"I was quite busy today. Three new sets of remains to identify, the mass spectrometer wouldn't work correctly, Angela said she's tired of working at the Jeffersonian, and my new intern dropped the skull reconstruction I had just completed. Then I realized on the way home I had forgotten my phone at the lab. How was your day?"

"Well, we had to let a prime suspect go for lack of evidence, I had to tackle a guy resisting arrest so I busted my knee open, and I have to go to traffic court because I got stopped for not wearing my seatbelt and found out I have forgotten to renew my driver's license. By the way, Christine called her teacher a jackass again, and Joey spit up all over my new suit.

"Where are Christine and Joey?'

"Fed, bathed, and in bed. Here…." Booth handed Brennan a large glass of red wine. "You need to drink this. It's magic."

"How can this wine be magic?"

"Well, that's liquid amnesia. You and me are gonna eat this fine homemade Italian dinner and finish this bottle of red wine, and it's gonna make us forget about all the bad stuff that happened today."

"Booth…..you know what happened the last time we finished a bottle of wine with dinner…."

"I don't remember", he said with a sly grin. "I think you'd better remind me."


	3. Chapter 3 lament

"Mommy, why is Daddy yelling at the television?"

"Daddy is just lamenting the fact that the Blackhawks are beating the Flyers at hockey. Daddy takes hockey quite seriously, even though it's just two groups of grown men using Newton's 3 Laws of Motion to move a piece of rubber across some ice while wearing skates."

"What's la men ting?" Christine was obviously puzzled by the word.

"A lament means a group of sad words about something that is upsetting someone. Daddy is a little upset about the hockey game."

Christine thought a minute. "I don't think Daddy is lamenting, because the word he uses starts with a D. He's saying dammit, not lament. He's using lots of different words. Some start with B's and some start with F's and some start with S's. But none of the words start with an L sound like lament. Sometimes he uses a lot of different words together. He's also talking a lot about somebody named Jesus, but I don't think it's the same Jesus we talk about at church, because Daddy sounds mad when he says this man's name.

"Christine, do you remember that you and I talked about the idea that there are some words that children shouldn't say because they aren't nice? Daddy may be saying some words that aren't very nice."

"Okay, Mommy, I won't say those words. But what do dumbasses do? There are 3 men wearing black and white shirts skating around the other men on the ice and they are making Daddy mad. He says they are dumbasses. What does that mean? "

"It means your Daddy may have to sit in the penalty box for a few minutes. Booth, I need to talk to you at intermission…"


	4. Chapter 4 cliff

Booth sat stunned on the sofa. "They shot Gibbs! I can't believe it! They shot Gibbs! I don't even know if he's dead or alive!"

"Booth, that's terrible! Do you know him well? Is he someone from your office?"

"No, Bones...on NCIS….Gibbs got shot at the end of the episode and it didn't show what happened to him…"

"That seems counterintuitive...Why would a writer do that to a main character?"

"It's a cliffhanger. It's when…"

Bones interrupted, "Oh like Perils of Pauline, a silent movie series where the heroine is left in many precarious situations."

"Perils of Pauline. Right. Anyway the guys running the show do this so viewers will come back and watch the next season."

"Maybe you can find out what happened to Gibbs on the internet."

"I've tried that but it's a bunch of crazy speculation by obsessed fans. Some are mad the season ended like this and others wrote all sorts of stories about what really happened. Plus there's a lot of complaining about how the people who run the show have ruined it by doing this.

"But the series will be back next season?"

"Yeah, but the guy who plays Gibbs keeps tweeting all sorts of weird stuff like about how he's gonna change his shoes or start a new project, so who knows about Gibbs. And it'll be months until the new season starts. Booth grinned sheepishly. I guess you think it's silly for me to be so wrapped up in story about people who aren't even real…."

Not at all. I know people get involved with the characters in my books. It just means they're well written. How long will you have to wait?

"Until the new season. About 6 months."

"Well", said Brennan, as she snuggled next to Booth on the sofa, "Maybe we can find something to occupy your Tuesday evenings while you wait."

"Hmmm... that's a great idea Bones….."


	5. Chapter 5 float

"Daddy, look! Mommy's helping me with my science project."

"That's so cool! Are you making a volcano or a solar system?"

"No, Daddy, it's bouncy!"

"What? A little help here, Bones…"

"What Christine is trying to say is that we are comparing objects to see if their downward force is equal to or less than the upward force of a liquid...also known as buoyancy."

Booth was still confused. "Um..yeah..How about English this time…"

Christine dropped a cork in some water. "Look, Daddy. A cork floats."

"Tell your Daddy about controlling variables, Christine."

"Bones, don't you think you're going a bit overboard? She's just in first grade!"

"It's never too soon for a child to learn how to do an experiment correctly. Controlling variables is very important. Don't you want her to win the science fair?"

"It's first grade….everybody gets a ribbon. It's supposed to be fun, like exploding volcanoes and growing seeds and stuff. Anyway, shouldn't she be doing this project by herself?"

"Well, I want her to have the best project possible, or at least better than Jennifer Applegate. Her mother is always bragging about how smart that girl is. It's quite annoying."

"I think you're missing the point. First graders make solar systems and stuff"... Booth's phone rang. "What….Where…..okay, we'll be there as soon as we can. We gotta go, Bones. I guess someone tried their own buoyancy experiment today but they were unsuccessful."

"Where?"

"The Potomac."

"Alright, I'll call Max. Maybe he can help Christine write the analysis of her results while he's here."

"You're unbelievable, Bones. You know that? Unbelieveable."


	6. Chapter 6 The Clean Shave

Christine stopped and stared as she looked into the bathroom doorway. "Daddy, why do you have whipped cream on your face?"

"It's not whipped cream, silly. It's shaving cream. It makes it easier to shave my face."

"What does 'shave my face' mean?"

"Daddy has to get rid of all the whiskers on his face."

"Why?"

"Because Daddy has a new boss who doesn't like whiskers. The new boss says all of us FBI guys have to be clean shaven."

"Why?"

"I don't know, really. I think I can still catch bad guys with whiskers on my face. But he's the boss so I have to follow his rules. I want him to like me."

"Why?"

"So I can keep working and bring home money so we can have food and live in this nice house."

"I think Mommy likes your whiskers. She says they're cute. I think she said roughy or something like that."

"Scruffy. But Daddy doesn't actually work for Mommy, sweetheart."

" You go to work together sometimes. Does Mommy have to shave her face to work with you?"

"No, Christine, girls don't have to shave their faces."

Why?

"Girls don't grow whiskers like boys do."

"Why?"

"You'll have to ask Mommy about that one."

"How does shaving cream make whiskers go away?"

"I have to scrape the shaving cream and the whiskers off with this thing called a razor. I have to be careful with it since it's sharp. I don't want you to play with it, okay?"

"Okay. Daddy, can you put shaving cream on me and hold me up so I can see what I look like?" 

"Here you go…what do you think?"

"I think I look just like you, Daddy!"

"That's my girl."


	7. Chapter 7 Engage

"It was nice of Max to offer to keep the kids for the weekend." Booth brought Brennan a glass of wine and sat with her on the sofa.

"I know. He couldn't decide what to get me for my birthday. I told him I didn't really want anything except time with my husband." She snuggled up against Booth.

" You want to go for dinner and a movie?"

"It's too cold to go anywhere, but I do have an idea about some entertainment. It's kind of unusual, but I think you'll like it."

"It's your birthday, so whatever you want."

Brennan gave her husband a sly little smile. "I thought we might engage in some creative role play."

You mean Buck and Wanda and the knife throwing act? Or the naughty librarian?"

"No, this is different. I'll be a bored housewife and you'll be the handyman that's here to fix things at the house."

"What kind of things?"

"Use your imagination. Here's your tool belt. It's supposed to ride kind of low on your hips. I'll be in another part of the house. Just let me know when you're ready."

Booth grinned. "I'm always ready."

"Call out to me."

"Oh. Okay."

Fifteen minutes later, with tool belt on, Booth called out, "Dr. Brennan? It's the handyman. I'm here to fix things."

"Can you come to the bathroom? I don't think the drain in the bathtub is working. There's still a lot of water in the tub."

Booth, wearing only his tool belt and a smile, opened the bathroom door to find his wife in the tub with lots of bubbles. His beer hat was on the floor waiting for him.

He laughed. "You know, Bones, I think I'm going to like this game a lot more than I've ever liked hockey..


	8. Chapter 8 email

Brennan showed up at the door of Booth's office. "Ready for lunch?" He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "Booth, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Booth inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly, trying to recover his composure. "I got an email from Gordon-Gordon. He's been in culinary school in France these past 18 months...remember? So he's been out of the loop. Anyway, he sent me this email, and he asked why he hasn't heard anything from Sweets, and wanting to know if Sweets' book was going to be published."

Brennan sat down across from her husband. "Oh, no….Booth…."

"I know. How do I send an email that says, "'Sorry, Sweets was murdered while you've been away, and you missed it.' How do I do that? "

"Do you want me to write the email, Booth? Forward it to me, and I'll respond to it."

"No, he asked me….I'll reply. But that's not even the real problem, I guess….How much longer is Sweets' death gonna hurt like this? Am I ever gonna get over it? One minute I'm fine, and then something happens and it brings me to tears all over again.'

"Did you ever go see the grief counselor that was recommended by the FBI? I think that would help."

"I don't want to talk about what happened and answer a whole bunch of stupid questions with someone I barely know. They won't understand why I feel the way I feel. It's a waste of time."

"I think there's grief counseling through St. Mark's, too. Talk to Father Jim. He can give you some information."

"Yeah, maybe….I might ask him.."

"It wasn't your fault, Booth….."

"I know….and knowing that fact should help me get over it, but damn….it hurts so bad….."


	9. Chapter 9 fanatic

"Hey, Aubrey….I need to raid your snack stash. I'm starving."

"Booth, we're going to lunch in an hour.. we're meeting Dr. B at the diner to compile case notes."

"Yeah, but she's on a diet."

Aubrey was confused. "How does her being on a diet relate to you raiding my snack stash?"

"I can tell you're not married. Bones is unhappy because she hasn't lost all of weight she gained with the baby. She's on this low fat, low carb diet, and that means I have to be on it, too. She's become a fanatic about it. We're supposed to count carbs and fats at every meal, and we're not supposed to have any carbs between meals. I need to eat something before I have my diet lunch or I'll starve.

"I don't understand why you have to be on the diet with her. Can't you eat different things at meals? You're both adults."

"That's because you're single. I'm showing affection for my wife by supporting her dietary choices. Plus, she says I've put on some weight, so we're dieting together."

"Oh man….that's awful."

"That's not the worst part. I lost 10 pounds the first week and she gained two, so now she's mad at me. A dieting wife is a no win situation for her husband, especially if she asks him if she looks fat in clothes." Booth picked out a bag of cookies. "I tell her she looks great, and then she says I'm supposed to say that, because I'm her husband, and that I'm biased. Hey….why don't you mention to her how great she looks? That would be a big help, Aubrey."

"No way. I don't like her stinkeye look. You're on your own, Booth."

"Thanks, Aubrey. You're a real pal."


	10. Chapter 10 misty

"What are you watching, Booth?" Brennan snagged a handful of popcorn.

"It's an old movie called 'Play Misty for Me'." It's about a woman who's stalking a DJ and she wants him to play this song all the time. Hey...stay out of my popcorn."

"I've noticed you have eclectic taste in movies, Booth. What was it you were watching last night? Tranquility? That space movie?"

"It's called 'Serenity' and it's not just a space movie...it's cowboys in space. That makes it different than Star Wars and Star Trek. Those are space movies."

"This movie looks interesting." Brennan stole more popcorn. "The man playing the DJ is quite attractive. Maybe I'll watch this."

"Clint Eastwood? You think he's attractive?"

"Yes, his features are quite symmetrical and I like the color of his eyes. I also like his physique...he's very well muscled."

"You do realize that this movie was made 40 years ago, right?" Booth moved the popcorn bowl out of Brennan's reach. "Clint Eastwood is in his eighties now. I don't think you would find him quite so attractive now."

"I've noticed that you like to watch old James Bond movies, particularly the parts where the women are wearing bikinis. I would imagine those women are older now, but it doesn't seem to deter you from ogling them. Why shouldn't I ogle Clint Eastwood? Pass the popcorn, please."

"I'm not ogling them. Those movies have a lot of plot details. Sometimes I need to watch some scenes again to understand what's going on…"

Brennan interrupted, "Because you're paying attention to bikinis. Oh look, now that Mr. Eastwood has removed his shirt I can see that he has perfect acromia and a pleasing shoulder to hip ratio.

" That's enough." Booth changed the channel. "No more Eastwood. Time for Bugs and Daffy."


	11. Chapter 11 trample

"How was the carnival?" Brennan balanced Joey on her hip as she wiped the counter.

"It was fine if you like being trampled by 50 little kids. I think Christine had fun. Are you feeling better?" Booth took the baby from his wife.

"Yes. It's just a cold, Booth."

"Oooh, Tiger...I can tell Mommy's nose isn't working right. Let's get you changed."

"Mommy?" Christine spoke up when Booth left the room. "I don't think Daddy liked the carnival."

"Why?"

"He didn't like the balloon man. Daddy's voice started to squeak, and he was breathing funny. The balloon man squirted him and then Daddy said some of those words I'm not supposed to say. The principal asked him to please wait outside. I think Daddy was in time out. It made me sad."

"Was the balloon man dressed funny? "

"His clothes were silly and he had a white face."

"That was a clown. Daddy doesn't like clowns. They make him nervous. I don't think he was in trouble."

"Who's in trouble?" Booth came in with Joey.

"Christine was telling me about your adventure at the carnival."

"I wasn't in trouble, sweetheart.. I had to go sit outside so I could calm down. Clowns make me feel bad. I'm better now. Go play, alright?"

Christine went to her room. "Bones, we have to call Mrs. Hammersmith and apologize. I used some very colorful language."

"I'll call her and explain. I'm sure she'll understand. Christine wasn't upset about that. She was sad that the clown made you unhappy. I'm glad she's already demonstrating the empathetic qualities you exhibit."

"Or she could be unhappy because we had to leave early…"

"You're an excellent example, Booth."

"That's sweet", he said, giving Brennan a kiss, "but you still have to change the next stinky diaper."


	12. Chapter 12 inject

"How's the new book coming, Bones?"

"I'm quite frustrated, Booth. I seem to be deleting more than I'm writing."

"What's the problem?" 

"My new editor wants me to inject some humor into my books. That's difficult given the constraints on length. I have to present a case, forensics and a resolution, and I'm supposed to include at least 4 explicit sex scenes between Kathy and Andy. I also find writing humor to be challenging."

"You probably just need practice. It took you a while to learn how to include sex scenes."

Brennan smiled slyly. "I've become much better at _that_ since we've been together. Part of the problem is that I don't understand humor very well, so it's hard to find appropriate places for it in the novel. I think the witticism about circles being popular because they get around is amusing but I seem to be alone in that. I did like the Schrodinger's Cat joke I told at the convention but I'm not sure the average reader will get it."

Booth shrugged. "Just write some funny exchanges between Kathy and Andy while they're driving to a crime scene or have the lab guys say funny things. You know….clever banter."

"Maybe I could look up some jokes on the internet. Remember the horse jokes? I can be quite amusing."

"I don't know, Bones...humor is something that just has to flow….it's hard to be sciency about it."

"Perhaps after dinner, you could help me write some humorous lines…" Brennan moved to give Booth a kiss… "and then, maybe later, you could use your imagination to help me write an explicit sex scene between Kathy and Andy."

Booth grinned. "We may have to go through several edits to get that sex scene just right."

Brennan smiled. "I certainly hope so…."


	13. Chapter 13 birthday

Booth sat drinking his coffee in the morning stillness. He checked the date on his phone. May 22…..Hannah's birthday. Hannah….beautiful, intelligent, a talent for words, with a bubbly personality he found irresistible. He had been an angry man when he met her but she changed that. Finally he could love someone and that person could love him in return. He was now desirable….and Hannah desired him all the time. Under fig trees, in ruined buildings or fine hotels...she wanted him and he wanted her.

Spectacular, imaginative sex...any place, any time, all the time. Scared, angry, happy, depressed...no matter what, it was sex. Not much talking, but no time or reason to talk...sex is a form of communication after all. No stories about being a sniper, or eggs in meatloaf or former partners. Keep it light. No vulnerability. Nothing bad. Just some chat and then more sex.

Leaving her behind was hard, but she came to the States to be with him. Almost the same relationship…. lots of time together meant there was something needed besides sex….but nothing much to talk about. Work, past relationships...keep it light. Do everything right...keep her happy...no conflict. Love her...propose marriage….and get turned down flat...Angry again, but Bones…Bones...

"You're up early, Booth". His musings were interrupted. He felt blessed as he watched the woman who was the light of his life stretch and yawn while she fixed herself breakfast. So perfect for him, and always there, no matter what.

"Daddy, can you make me pancakes for breakfast?"

"Of course, sweetheart. You know, pretty soon you'll have to share pancakes with your brothers."

"Happy birthday, Hannah, wherever you are today", he thought, smiling into his coffee cup "and thanks so much for turning me down."


	14. Chapter 14 reminisce

"Are those Pops' things from the retirement home, Booth?"

Booth put the box on the counter. "Yeah. Pictures of me and Jared, cards from his great grandkids, CDs from that living history project when he was reminiscing about Korea, a signed baseball. Stuff like that. Jared and I will go through it and see what we want."

Brennan paused. "Booth, I need to tell you something."

"I hate it when you start a conversation like that. What is it?"

"Pops felt responsible for your dad abandoning you. He caught your dad abusing you."

.Booth spoke softly. "Actually, I knew that. Dad told me about it the last time I talked to him. He said Pops had done it for his own good. Dad was just never able to get better and come home."

"Pops felt terrible about it, Booth. He asked me to tell you after he died."

"Dad was right. Pops had to do it. I've been doing some reminiscing of my own, you know? I was in my twenties when I last saw my dad, and I swore I'd never be like him. I hated him. Then I go and get myself kicked out of my house, just like he did. And you had to do that. Like father, like son."

"You're nothing like him, Booth. You're working through things and you came home. You didn't abandon us."

"I remember what it was like when Dad was gone.. wondering what I did wrong, where he was...listening to other kids talk about their dads. I never want my kids to have to be in that situation again. Once was enough to get my attention. Thanks for making me see what i was doing, Bones. I know it was hard on you." He kissed her. "I'll never put you through that again."


	15. Chapter 15 blow

The ceremony was long.. Wendell and Andee had chosen to have a Nuptial Mass for their wedding. Booth glanced at Hodgins as they both stood with Wendell. Hodgins appeared to be listening. Booth was distracted. All he could think about was that dress.

Bones had chosen a sapphire blue dress that matched her eye color perfectly. It hugged her body, showing off her assets. Booth couldn't wait to get his hands on those assets...those luscious curves…those legs..."I now pronounce you man and wife". And he was back to reality...

After the pictures, speeches, and toasts, the reception began. Booth led his wife to the dance floor. He nibbled her ear and whispered, "Seeing you in that dress….wow...all I can think about is getting you out of it. Let's go home..."

She smiled demurely. "There are social mores to be observed. You're a member of the wedding party. We need to stay for a few more minutes...Let's dance."

After dancing a few minutes, Booth whispered in her ear again. "Bones, feeling you close to me like this...in that dress...it blows me away. I don't want to wait any longer." He brushed his fingertips across her breast, exerting gentle pressure on the nipple. "Let's leave."

Her little gasp told him she was getting the message but she still resisted. "We should stay a little longer." She winked at him. "Anticipation can enhance sexual pleasure."

He pulled her closer. "All I need to enhance my enjoyment of sex is to have you close to me. Come on baby…", he caressed her tenderly, feeling her body responding…"let's get out of here."

Brennan saw his dark, piercing look and the way he was licking his lips. It would to be useless to argue….not that she wanted to. "I'll get my purse."


	16. Chapter 16 horny

Christine and Joey were staying with the Hodgins family while their Mommy and Daddy took a trip. Mommy had a speaking engagement at UCLA, so she and Daddy were going to take a few extra days to enjoy the California sunshine, among other things.

"Make sure you take a break from your room long enough to get some sun", teased Angela. "I'd hate for you miss all that nice weather."

Brennan laughed. "We have a room with a balcony. We'll be able to see the sun if we want. Bye, Christine. Bye, Joey. Have fun with Aunt Angela and Uncle Jack."

But Christine wasn't having fun. She didn't want to play tag with Michael-Vincent or read any books. All she wanted to do was look up animal pictures on her tablet.

Angela went to check on Christine at bedtime. "Are you okay, Sweetie? You seem a little sad."

Christine nodded and said she was okay, but she didn't sound sure. Angela gave her a squeeze. "I know you miss your Mommy and Daddy, but they'll be home before you know it."

"Aunt Angela, what kind of wild animals have horns?"

"Well, that came out of the blue. I don't know...water buffaloes?"

Christine began to sob. "I don't want my daddy to turn into a water buffalo! I want him to be my daddy!"

"Christine, what are you talking about? Daddy won't be a water buffalo."

I heard Daddy say that while they were gone Mommy was going to turn him into a horny wild animal. He said he wanted Mommy to tame him. Mommy laughed and said that sounded like fun."

"It's okay, Sweetie. They're just playing a game. They're teasing. They won't change into animals, I promise."

Angela calmed Christine, and then made a phone call. "Brennan...we need to talk…"


	17. Chapter 17 slice

Right after Girl in the Gator

" Booth...it seems you've been hiding things from me."

"What? Hiding things from you? What have I been hiding from you?"

"Sully took me out for a piece of pie last night, because, you know, the case was over so it was permissible with the FBI…he's very attractive."

Booth rolled his eyes. "You don't even like pie. Why would you want to go have a piece of pie if you don't like it?"

Brennan smiled. "Well, as I said, he's attractive and he seems quite intelligent. Anyway, we went to the diner and I told Sully I don't really like apple or cherry pie because I don't like cooked fruit."

"My point exactly", interrupted Booth. "Why go at all?"

"Sully introduced me to a kind of pie I'd never had before. He ordered a slice of pecan pie for me, and he asked the waitress to warm it up slightly, and to bring a small dish of vanilla ice cream on the side. You never told me about pecan pie, Booth. It was different than fruit pie, and I really enjoyed it tremendously."

Booth was not impressed. "So was it the pie you liked or was it Sully? It seems like he was maybe hitting on you a little bit, getting you that fancy piece of pie."

"Food can be quite useful in seduction, Booth. Anthropologically speaking, cooking or buying a meal for someone implies a social contract."

"Right." Booth was becoming uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "Well, sorry I never told you about pecan pie a la mode. I guess I have been hiding things from you."

"That's okay. Sully and I are going out to his favorite restaurant tonight...Thai food. Oh...gotta get going. See you later."

Booth sighed. "Thai food and pecan pie. What a combination."


	18. Chapter 18 rant

Circa Man in the Mansion

Gordon-Gordon sat across from Booth at the diner, sipping his tea. "Where's the lovely Dr. Brennan this evening, Agent Booth?"

Booth was in a surly mood. "How the hell should I know? It's not like I keep tabs on her 24 hours a day."

"Oh, come now...surely you know where she might be?"

"She went to dinner with Agent Sullivan." Booth spat out his answer.

Gordon-Gordon probed a little more. "I see...and why do you think she did that?"

"Well, you know, he's got this whole boy genius thing going on. He does woodworking, he's an EMT, he's a Master Sailor, he's an art historian. He claims he can do almost everything under the sun that any woman could possibly find interesting. I mean, yeah, he's not a bad looking guy, and he talks a good game, but when you get right down to it, is he any better than me? It's not like he's some superhero. Maybe I can't do all that stuff, but I'm a good shot and I'm well respected...at least as much as he is. That's why the Jeffersonian wants me to work with them...or at least Bones used to want that. Now she's all crazy over some guy she barely knows just because he knew right off the bat what a scapula is. He wants to open a sandwich shop, for Christ's sake... he wants to sail off into the Caribbean sunset instead of keeping a steady job. Of course, that looks way more exciting than anything I do, but Ms. Logic doesn't seem to understand there's more to life than excitement. I'm intelligent, too. I have no idea what she sees in him. Seriously. He's just an overgrown kid…." Booth paused.

"Rant over?" Gordon-Gordon asked.

"I guess."

"Feel better?"

Booth grimaced. " Not one damn bit."


	19. Chapter 19 grovel

From Boneless Bride in the River

Booth sat at the diner table, looking out the window, trying to decide what to do. Bones had told him earlier that evening about Sully asking her to sail off to the Caribbean for a year on his boat. Booth shook his head. The idea of living on a boat for a year was just crazy as far as he was concerned, but that wasn't the problem.

Booth was trying to figure out how he felt. He really didn't want Bones to leave, but he couldn't seem to put into words exactly why. She was his partner, but was she more than that? And, no matter how he felt, how could he convince her to stay? Use logic? Point out how successful their partnership was? Grovel and beg? If she'd already made up her mind to leave, he probably wouldn't be able to change it.

Was he really in a position to ask her to stay? What exactly was their relationship, anyway? She was his partner, nothing more...except it hurt like Hell to know that Sully was kissing her and holding her close….Bones didn't seem to be too interested in anything more than being partners and friends. She said she loved Sully…..

Booth sighed. If he asked her to stay, and she did, what then? Would she expect them to begin a relationship? He wasn't sure that would be a good thing for either one of them. Would she have regrets and blame him because she didn't go? Bones could be so unpredictable when it came to how she reacted to relationships….

Finally Booth decided he had done the right thing. He'd told her to go, even though he felt awful about it. She'd have to make up her own mind, and he'd have to live with her decision, whatever it was.


	20. Chapter 20 crucify

It was a tense meeting. Booth spoke to the woman at the end of the table.

"Ms. Lundborg, I know you're looking to make your splash with the Attorney General's office while Ms. Julian is on medical leave. However, even though the press has crucified John Hanover, there isn't enough forensic evidence against him for a conviction."

She sighed. "Agent Booth, there is circumstantial evidence linking Hanover to several domestic terrorism groups. That should be enough to convict if I can get some cooperation from your team."

"The Jeffersonian won't manufacture evidence to prove your case. They'll give us the facts. If the facts implicate Hanover, fine. If not we'll find another suspect, no matter what the press wants."

" Given your recent imprisonment, Agent Booth, I understand why you might be sensitive about such things. Perhaps your reliance on your wife and her team at the Jeffersonian has dulled your instincts. You must know deep down that Hanover is guilty."

Booth stood up. He was barely able to control his anger as he slammed the file on the table.

"It doesn't make any difference what I feel or what you think about the case. You need hard evidence to prove this case, not rumors. We have to stand for truth, or our whole system is broken. That's the only right way to do these things. If you aren't able to handle that, Ms. Lundborg, you need to look for a different profession."

Ms. Lundborg gathered her papers, and said with a sarcastic tone, "Thank you, Agent Booth. I'll take that under advisement."

Leaving the meeting, Booth struggled with his thoughts. In the past he would have done almost anything to get a conviction, but things were different now. He was uncomfortable with how things were happening. It was time for a change. It was time to walk away.


	21. Chapter 21 jobless

Jobless

"You're quiet this evening, Booth. Bad day in court?"

"The Hanover case goes to the jury tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be acquitted. DA Lundborg told Deputy Director Jamison that I torpedoed her case. He's not pleased."

"Why would she say that, Booth? We gave her all the evidence we had. It's not your fault it couldn't be stretched to fit Hanover. She shouldn't have taken it to trial."

"Sean Callahan was a popular man. There was a huge outcry to catch his murderer, and the DA caved to the pressure to take it to court. Hanover was the best option she had and it didn't work out. She's upset that she failed. Since we argued about taking it to court, she's blaming me."

"You'd never deliberately ruin a case."

Booth nodded. "I know. My testimony was fine, but the defense called Agent Timmons to 'fill in details'. They twisted her words, she got flustered, and made lots of mistakes. It was my responsibility to prepare her to testify so I get to take the fall. That's how the chain of command works. Jamison called me in after court and chewed my ass royally."

'

Brennan spoke quietly. "Are you still employed?"

"Yeah….I'm not going to be jobless over this thing. I'm too far up the food chain. They'll just pass me over for promotions and give me the junk cases no one else wants. I'll be on the back burner for a while. No big deal."

"Are you going to be happy in a situation like that, Booth? You've always been successful in the FBI. You're proud of your work. It's been your whole career...your life."

He shrugged. "I don't care anymore. The FBI's just a job. You, Bones", he said, embracing her, "you're my life."


	22. Chapter 22 lunatic

Booth and Aubrey met Caroline Julian in her office to give her some information about their case.

Aubrey handed her a file. "The Blue Whale Crusaders. Ecoterrorism is their specialty. They fight to keep those kitschy landmarks open along highways like Route 66."

Caroline looked at him like he was crazy. "A new part of the lunatic fringe? Why would anyone want to fight to keep those things?"

Booth cleared his throat. "I asked the same question, but you know that logic doesn't usually play a part in a terrorist group's focus. It's mainly a group of senior citizens that try to keep developers from removing landmarks. They're named after a place in Oklahoma, but they've been busy all up and down Route 66. Interstate ecoterrorism...that's why the FBI is involved." He nodded for Aubrey to continue.

"So far they haven't resorted to anything really violent", added Aubrey, "but the internet and twitter chatter is that they are planning a kidnap plot...maybe someone who works for a company that's involved in removing a landmark."

Ms. Julian was not amused. "Cherie, I'm not sure why you're wasting my time on this if there isn't a crime yet. I'm busy trying to get caught up from being out with my hip replacement. That Ms. Lundborg made a mess of things while I was gone. I don't have time for a bunch of crazy old folks trying to save a blue whale or the world's biggest ball of yarn. You got anything else for me? Because, if not, good-bye…."

"Well", Booth began, stammering a bit. "There is one more thing. Did you check today's date?"

Ms. Julian narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. "No. Why?"

Booth and Aubrey shouted, "APRIL FOOL'S" as they sprinted out the office door laughing.


	23. Chapter 23 trapped

Brennan lay on her back, looking up at the ceiling, trying to get her bearings. It took her a minute to remember she was down in Limbo. She felt the bone fragments scattered around her. Some of the bone drawers had been partially jarred out of the shelves and others had fallen to the floor. Several shelving units had been damaged.

She took a mental inventory of her injuries. Based on the angle of her leg, her patella was dislocated. Her right ulna was probably fractured, and based on how the room was spinning, she had a concussion. She touched her face and felt blood on her forehead.

She tried to concentrate. She had been on a ladder trying to get a set of bones from one of the uppermost units. She had heard the rumble of the vibration moving across the room. Her hands were full of bone trays. She'd tried to brace herself, but then she was falling…

She closed her eyes and sat up. The nausea was horrible. She pulled her foot around to the front, rolling the patella back into place. She cried out trying to stand and realized her tibia was also fractured.

As Brennan's eyes adjusted to the darkness she began to understand the magnitude of her problem. She could pull herself toward the door but it was blocked with debris. With her injuries, she wouldn't be able to move the debris by herself. She reached for her phone and remembered it was charging on her desk. A wave of panic washed over her. She was trapped in Limbo.

She willed herself to remain calm. There were safety protocols at the Jeffersonian. If she didn't check in they'd look for her. She also trusted Booth. He wouldn't rest until he knew where she was. She just had to wait….


	24. Chapter 24 quake

The low sound of the vibration rumbled throughout the FBI building. It was a pretty stiff shock, causing furniture to move up, down, and sideways in response to the heavy rolling wave. It wasn't as strong as the last earthquake in the area at magnitude 5.7, but the USGS said it was shallow and there could be significant damage.

Per safety protocols, all agents who were assigned to check in with Booth had done so, and people were starting to move back to their designated areas, looking for damage and clearing the mess. Things were working as they were supposed to, with one notable exception. Booth still hadn't heard from his wife.

He knew the Jeffersonian had its own protocols and she'd be working, but she should've sent him an "I'm okay" text by now. He finally gave in to his worry and called her, but he only got her voicemail. "She must be busy", he thought, trying to be calm without much success. Finally his phone rang and the screen said "Bones".

"Bones, are you alright? Why didn't you call sooner?"

"Booth, this is Cam. We're hoping Dr. Brennan is with you..."

"No...she hasn't checked in?"

"Not yet. There's been some damage to the building and security is in the process of searching it in sections."

"Why are you on Bones' phone?"

"She left it on her desk…"

"Cam...that place is huge. She could be trapped anywhere and if she's without her phone...God. I'll be over as soon as I can."

"Just a minute"... Cam was talking to someone…."Wendell says she was going to Limbo, so I've asked security to check on her, but the stairwell is blocked with debris. It's going to take a while to get through."

"I'm on my way."


	25. Chapter 25 dirt

Streamers of dust and dirt hung in the air over the stairwell down to Limbo. DC Metro firefighters had been called in and were working feverishly along with the Jeffersonian security team to clear the stairwell so they could get into the storeroom, where they expected to find Brennan.

Everyone else had been accounted for. The oldest part of the building had sustained damage, but the newer parts had survived mostly intact. The stairwell had held up well through the earthquake. It was just a matter of clearing the way.

Booth paced like a caged tiger. He was frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of progress. The firefighters couldn't work fast enough to satisfy him. He wanted his wife out of that room yesterday.

After several hours of work, the stairwell was cleared enough to get to the door. The firefighters pushed hard against the door to open it through the debris piled behind it. They were unprepared for what they saw.

Hundreds of bones and bone fragments were scattered across the floor. The rolling wave had caused some of the shelves to twist, jarring bone drawers out of place. Two minutes of shaking had created years of work.

Booth followed the paramedics as they slowly made their way through the mess. "Bones? Bones, where are you?"

"Booth? Over here!" They found her sitting against the back wall of the storeroom. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Thank God you're okay. Don't try to talk now. Let's get you to the hospital."

"I'm sorry I didn't have my phone. I know you must have been worried."

Booth rolled his eyes. "Trapped in Limbo after an earthquake and all you can think about is your phone? Really?"

Brennan held his hand and smiled. "No, Booth. All I could think about was you."


	26. Chapter 26 spike

"Whatcha doin', Bones?"

"I've decided to broaden my entertainment choices so my tastes can be as eclectic as yours."

"You're watching Netflix."

"Yes. I've found this very interesting program which uses various anthropological tropes to further the plot."

"What? Way to ruin TV, Bones."

"Look. That young blonde woman uses superhuman strength to vanquish evil. She represents the Mother Goddess who saves the world. She fights vampires. Most cultures have legends or lore about vampires since blood is often seen as the source of life. This program also incorporates the classic good vs evil trope, a discussion of redemption and even some religious aspects, like having a soul."

"So you're saying that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is like anthropology. Right. I think you just like the kickboxing."

"I enjoy the stories that go with the tropes. There's a classic love triangle, too. Buffy tries to kill vampires but it appears she has two vampire lovers: Spike and Angel. I'm hoping she chooses Spike. He's very handsome."

"What's wrong with Angel? He's taller and he has cool hair."

"Angel's so gloomy all the time...no fun. He never smiles unless he's lost his soul. That was an interesting arc...the trope of good vs evil in the world and a discussion of what "good" really is.

Besides, Spike has a sense of humor, and a British accent. He's really quite attractive."

"I don't know, Bones...from what I remember of the show, Spike was the bad guy and Angel was a good guy most of the time. Angel was Buffy's one true love."

"But Spike has the leather coat. You used to watch this program? Why didn't introduce me to this show, Booth?"

"Sorry, Bones. Next time I watch Firefly, I'll let you know and we can analyze it, too, okay?"


	27. Chapter 27 puncture

"The pattern of decomposition on this body is unusual." Brennan was hunkered down next to what was left of the man. "Most of the face and scalp is gone but there seems to be flesh on the neck and the rest of the body."

"The guy who found our victim said the head was exposed but the rest of the body was buried." Booth tapped his index cards with his pen. "Somebody really hated our victim."

"There aren't any facts to back up that assertion, Booth." Brennan looked closely at the neck. "Dr. Saroyan, did you see these puncture marks on the neck? They're right over the carotid artery. It's likely our victim bled out."

Cam laughed. "So, what...a vampire bit him?"

"Of course not." Brennan was not amused.

"Hey, Bones", Booth added, "maybe you can use the anthropology you learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to solve this murder case." He laughed until he was given a stern 'Go to Hell' look by his wife.

"There are similar puncture wounds on the skull and on the chest over the heart. Not typical vampire wounds, in my experience." Brennan gave them a smirk. "I think I already know what happened to our victim, but I'll need Dr. Wells to swab the wounds and make casts of all of them. Cam, ask him to count the wounds and measure them to make sure they're all the same size. I need photos taken of the entire area. I'll see you both back at the lab."

Cam and Booth looked at each other in surprise. "Bones, wait….where are you going?"

"Hardware store. Bye." She got in her car, waved, and drove away.

Cam turned to Booth. "Do you think she's angry?"

"Nah...just time for Buffy." He flinched. "Please don't tell her I said that…"


	28. Chapter 28 ride

"Hiya, Bones."

Brennan didn't look up from her computer. "I see you managed to get a ride from the crime scene. Has the body been transported?"

"It's already here. Angela's working on the reconstruction. She said the skull wasn't damaged badly so it shouldn't take too much time."

"Good." Brennan continued to work.

"Did you find what you needed at the hardware store?" .

"Yes." She got up from her desk and walked out to the lab platform. "Dr. Wells, have you begun to swab and catalog the injuries?"

"Yes. There are 3 sets of puncture wounds on the skull and at least 10 sets on the body. Somebody hated this guy…." Brennan was shaking her head..."although we don't have actual evidence of that, do we?"

Brennan glanced at Booth. "In your opinion, Dr. Wells, could these injuries have been caused by vampires?"

Dr. Wells was caught off guard. "What?...um, no….why?"

"Agent Booth and Dr. Saroyan mentioned vampires at the crime scene. We need to consider all of the possibilities. What else could cause this type of injury? The wounds are all precisely the same size, but the pattern is random. What do you think, Dr. Wells?"

Dr. Wells was stumped. "I don't know…."

"I think what we're looking for", said Brennan, "is some sort of power tool, very similar to this pneumatic nail gun. If it's attached to an air compressor, like so, and you pull the trigger….

BAM! BAM! Two staples entered the board pressed against the nail gun. "You can see the marks are like those on the body. Staples similar to these might be deadly if they pierced the brain or an artery. Agent Booth, please have the FBI techs look for a nail gun at the crime scene, not vampires." Brennan left him standing alone on the platform.


	29. Chapter 29 treatment

Aubrey poked his head into Booth's office. "Aren't you having lunch with Dr. Brennan to work on the case?"

Booth looked up from his computer, shaking his head, obviously annoyed. "Nope. I'm getting the silent treatment."

Aubrey smirked. "Seriously? I pegged Dr. B as a yeller."

"She can yell with the best of them, but sometimes, when she's really mad at me, she answers my questions with just one or two words. Not silent for most people, but it is for her."

"So what'd you do?"

"What? Nothing..."

"You must've done something to get the almost silent treatment..."

"When we were at the crime scene I happened to mention to Dr. Saroyan that Bones likes to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer…"

Aubrey interrupted. "Buffy's fun, but Angel is much more intellectual...more Dr. B's style.."

"And I made fun of anthropology at the same time."

"Man...you're screwed…" Aubrey laughed.

Booth shook his head. "Not for several days….Anyway, I've been trying to explain that I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but Bones hasn't been in a forgiving mood. I gotta do something…"

Aubrey thought for a minute. "Candy? Flowers? No? I know...how about an apology? You know, grovel and beg a little...then buy her the whole set of Buffy episodes and maybe even Angel episodes on DVD."

"Why should I apologize? It was a joke."

"Like when she jokes about how boring baseball is, or says hockey is stupid, right?"

"Okay, okay, whatever. I get it. An apology and maybe a nice dinner could solve the problem if I apply some charm to go with it."

Aubrey smiled. "Don't forget the DVDs….Buffy and Angel. Trust me. She'll love them.

"Fine." Booth rolled his eyes. " A nice dinner, DVDs, a little charm, and an apology. I hope you're right, Aubrey…."


	30. Chapter 30 companion

"I'm glad we're trying a new Thai place, Booth."

"Hey, it's Aubrey...but that's not Ms. Warren, is it?

"What? Where?" Brennan turned around to look.

"Don't be so obvious, Bones! Trust me. His dinner companion isn't your squintern."

"I don't see why that's an issue, Booth. You said he told you about this restaurant."

"The issue isn't seeing Aubrey here, it's seeing him with a different woman. I thought Aubrey and Ms. Warren were going at it hot and heavy. At least that's what he told me."

"Why can't they be dating each other and going out with other people at the same time? Ms. Warren seems open minded about relationships."

"Do you remember what happened when you dated two guys at the same time? It wasn't pretty, was it?" Booth grinned at Brennan.

"That was my fault for not making sure they understood the parameters of our relationships. And you did meddle in those relationships, if I recall correctly..."

"I was just trying to help you by pointing out how difficult it can be to juggle two relationships. Aubrey should know better."

"Maybe he and ended their relationship, or it could be strictly platonic. When we started working together we had a platonic relationship, Booth, and you didn't care who I dated."

Booth grimaced. "Actually, I did care quite a bit….Here they come. Act casual. Don't mention Ms. Warren!"

Aubrey seemed slightly uncomfortable. "Agent Booth! Dr. Brennan! I'm glad to see you decided to try my favorite restaurant. This is my friend, Sylvia. She's visiting from Chicago."

"Nice to meet you." Brennan smiled. "Will you be staying long?"

"Actually, I'm planning on moving to the area."

After Aubrey and Sylvia left, Booth shook his head. "I hope he knows what he's doing."

Brennan grinned. "Maybe he knows how to juggle."


	31. Chapter 31 brick

"The bricklayer at that job site killed our victim because the victim insulted his work?" Booth was surprised.

Aubrey nodded. "The bricklayer fancies himself an artist. I guess the carpenter made one too many cracks about the brick courses being crooked so the bricklayer grabbed the nail gun and went after him. He confessed to everything...he was proud to rid the world of that guy."

"Crazy." Booth drank his coffee. "Hey, Bones and I really liked that Thai place you suggested. The pad thai and mi krop were great."

Aubrey eyed Booth suspiciously. "What you really want to know is how I'm going to date Jessica and Sylvia at the same time, right?"

"No, I really don't want to know about that, Aubrey."

"Sylvia and I have been friends for a long time. The relationship I have with Jessica is hard to classify: more than friends, less than lovers. They've met each other and seem to get along okay, but there's this undercurrent…"

Booth nodded. "I've been there. It's no fun. It can be hell navigating that situation."

"It doesn't help that I can't get Jessica to tell me one way or the other what she wants. I thought she was content with being friends but when Sylvia showed up things got really tense. Now I don't know what's going on." Aubrey shook his head. "Sorry, Booth. I didn't mean to drag you into my problems. Let's get back to the case."

"Right. So why did the bricklayer bury the corpse like he did? That was weird."

"He thought the face would be destroyed and the victim wouldn't be identified. He didn't know about the squints and their magic."

"I'm glad we got it wrapped up. By the way, Bones was really pleased with her Buffy DVDs. That was a great idea. Thanks."


	32. Chapter 32 possessed

"I've worked for the FBI for a long time, and that's a new one for me." Booth shook his head as he walked away from the interrogation room. He looked at the new FBI psychologist, Dr. Ling. "What do you think?"

"Claiming to be possessed by demons is nothing new, Agent Booth. Many people have used it as a defense strategy when charged with murder. Actually making demonic noises, however, is new to me. I'd say our suspect may actually be able to plead insanity."

"Great. Just what I need...another headache to deal with. Would you subpoena his records from his psychiatrist and his personal physician? I need to know what we're dealing with here. Hey, Aubrey!"

"Yeah….hey, Booth. How'd the interrogation go? Is he our guy?"

"Dr. Ling here says maybe so, but we have to check his mental health status. Oh, that's right...you haven't met our new psychologist. Agent James Aubrey….Dr. Sian Ling."

"How do you do, Agent Aubrey?" Dr. Ling extended a hand.

Aubrey gaped a few seconds at the beautiful woman standing in front of him. Finally he realized he hadn't actually spoken. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Ling. Been here long?" He knew immediately he'd said something stupid.

Dr. Ling smiled. "I've been with the FBI a few years at the Dallas office. I've been in the United States for 27 years. I came from Indonesia when I was 5."

"We're going to go to the diner and discuss the case, Aubrey. Do you want to come?" Booth was growing restless.

"Yeah, sure….the case."

"I'll get my coat." Dr. Ling walked to her office.

"Damn, Booth….she is hot! Wow…."

"Aubrey! Be professional! Besides, what about Jessica and Sylvia?"

Aubrey shrugged. "I think I'm over them...Let's go to lunch."


	33. Chapter 33 apparition

"Here's our Jack-o-lantern, Bones. Looks great, doesn't it?"

"I thought Christine and Joey were supposed to be the ones excited about Halloween, Booth. It seems you're enjoying this holiday more than they are."

"Halloween's a lot of fun. Candy, costumes, a little scare...kids love it. I'm glad the Jeffersonian party starts at 8. I'll take Christine and Joey around the block for some trick or treating before we leave."

"You're going to take our children begging for candy?" Brennan rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure I want them to eat all those treats anyway. They have no nutritional value."

"It's tradition. Kids love to go for trick or treat. Did you get costumes for the kids?"

"Angela lent me a dinosaur costume for Joey, although I'm not sure children should pretend to be raptors. Christine wants to be an apparition, but I'm not sure how to arrange that."

"Apparition?"

"She wants to be some sort of spirit that appears from the afterlife, even though I've explained to her that those things don't really exist."

"A ghost...she wants to be a ghost. That's easy, Bones. Just find an old sheet and cut some eye holes in it. Easy. It doesn't make any difference if it's not real. That's part of the fun of the evening. Speaking of which...Are you going to the Jeffersonian party as Wonder Woman again this year?" Booth embraced his wife. "I love that costume…"

"I always go as Wonder Woman. She's a good role model for Christine."

"Yeah, but Wonder Woman's not exactly real. By the way, I'm going as Captain America this year."

"I like your Captain America briefs very much." Brennan smiled slyly. "Will you model them for me in private later this evening?"

"I think we can arrange that." Booth grinned and kissed her. "Happy Halloween…."


	34. Chapter 34 graveyard

Normally, Seeley Booth would have enjoyed the prospect of being parked on a dark, secluded road with a beautiful woman. Tonight, however, was different. The dark, secluded road was in a cemetery, and the beautiful woman was his partner.

"Parked in a graveyard isn't my idea of what a Special Agent should be doing", Booth grumbled. "It's our jurisdiction because it's on the National Register of Historic Places. It's also extremely boring."

"I thought you said partners converse on stake outs." Brennan was confused. "When we watched the heroin dealer we talked about lots of different things."

Booth looked at her, thinking about how the moonlight accentuated her features. The thoughts racing through his mind were not about conversing. "What would you like to talk about, Bones?"

"The case. Why are we here?"

"Someone's been desecrating the graves in the Civil War section of the graveyard. It's crazy. Who would do that?"

"In many cultures bodies are dug up after a few years and the bones are stored in a charnel house so the graves can be reused. Maybe someone wants a Civil War bone collection."

"That's sick!" He looked out the window so he wouldn't be distracted by her beautiful eyes. "Collecting bones...that's awful."

Brennan shrugged. "Just another artifact...like buttons or musket balls. What's that?" She leaned across him to point out his side window. Booth was trying desperately not to look at her cleavage.

"Did you see something out there? What was it, Bones?"

"Something moved. Do you have a flashlight?"

"Yeah, here. Let's try to be quiet, okay? We don't need to wake the dead." They walked quietly toward the movement...

…..and watched a frightened raccoon run into the darkness.

"Okay, that's it for tonight." Booth laughed. "Our perp got away. Time for pie and coffee."


	35. Chapter 35 destroy

"Well, what do you think, Dr. B?"

"I think you're correct, Agent Aubrey. This roasted vegetable gyro is excellent. The fact that it's easy to transport makes it even better."

Aubrey grinned. "I like to eat on the way to a crime scene because I may not feel like eating afterward. Today it wasn't too bad. That guy makes excellent gyros, considering he's from Scotland."

"I'm quite annoyed that the park ranger allowed the remains to be moved. Valuable evidence was destroyed." Brennan took another bite. "I'm going to write a handbook detailing the correct treatment of evidence and crime scenes for the Park Service. They appear to need the benefit of my experience."

Aubrey smirked. "I think they have a handbook. They just don't read it. Mind if I make a doughnut stop for Booth?"

"Good idea. He's stuck doing paperwork in the office."

"Do you think Booth really wants to be deputy director, Dr. B?"

She thought a minute. "I think he feels it's the next logical step in his career, but I'm not sure he'll be happy if he takes the position."

Aubrey nodded. "Booth's a hands-on kind of guy. He'd go crazy if he had to stay behind a desk and do paperwork all day. Plus, he's good at training new agents."

"I've expressed my reservations about the deputy directorship, but I've also offered my support in whatever he chooses."

"Finally!", Aubrey said as the light changed to green. "I think the timing of the lights is off at this intersection." He accelerated his SUV into the intersection.

"Aubrey….look out!" A car had run the red light. It rammed the passenger side of Aubrey's car, crushing the door.

"Dr. B? Oh, my God." Aubrey dialed 911. "Yes...this is an emergency. I need an ambulance now!"


	36. Chapter 36 breathe

Aubrey had called to say there'd been an accident. Booth raced to the emergency room. "Temperance Brennan? My wife! Car accident? I want to see her now!"

"Booth!" It was Aubrey.

"Jesus! What happened, Aubrey? Where's Bones?"

"Breathe, Booth. Dr. B's banged up but she's gonna be okay. Nothing major. The doctor's with her now.

"Right." Booth nodded, still shaky from adrenaline. "Breathe. What happened? Where's her car?"

"I was driving." Aubrey shook his head and sighed. "We had the light but a car plowed into us on the passenger side where Dr. B was sitting. I'm glad the SUV has all those air bags, and she was wearing her seatbelt so she didn't hit the dashboard."

Booth paced frantically. "I just wanna see her, okay?"

"Agent Booth? I'm Dr. Finnegan. Your wife is in fairly good shape except for the concussion. She took quite a blow to the head. That's why she was transported here." The doctor and Booth walked toward the patient cubicles. "I must warn you...she appears to be confused, but don't worry. It's most likely temporary."

"Most likely?…..Bones, I was so worried about you…"

Brennan glared at him. "Don't call me Bones! I hate that! Why did the hospital call you?"

"Umm...because we're married?"

"Very funny. If I did participate in that archaic ritual, it wouldn't be with you, Booth."

"Bones...we're married...we have children…"

"I'd never bring children into this violent world…" Brennan was becoming agitated.

"Agent Booth", Dr. Finnegan began, "Dr. Brennan needs to rest." She pulled Booth out of the room.

Booth was panicked. "What happened to my wife's memory?"

"A blow to the head can leave a person disoriented. We're keeping her overnight. Things should be better tomorrow."

Booth ran his hands over his face and sighed. "God, I hope so."


	37. Chapter 37 assist

"Booth, I'm fine. I know where the bathroom is. I don't need you to assist me." Brennan was annoyed with her husband.

"Dr. Finnegan said you might become dizzy and have double vision because of your concussion. I don't want you to fall." Booth followed her to the bathroom.

"I'm not an invalid. Please stop hovering over me. I want to go to the bathroom by myself."

Booth sat down on the floor. "Fine. I'll just wait outside the door and if you need me you can call for me."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "Why don't I take the baby monitor since you insist on treating me like an infant?"

"You know what? That's a great idea. I'll go get it." While he was gone, Brennan went into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Bones...are you alright? I brought you the monitor." Booth knocked on the door. "Bones? Bones….answer me."

She opened the door slightly. "Booth...you're acting like a child. Hand me the monitor." She took the monitor from Booth and slammed the door.

"That's the thanks I get for being a concerned husband...a door slammed in my face. Well, if you fall, don't come running to me, Bones." Booth pouted a bit. It was bad enough that she'd spent 2 days in the hospital, and a few more days adjusting to the idea that they were really married. His feelings were hurt. He was just trying to take care of her….

He heard water running in the bathroom. "Bones, are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Are you taking a shower?"

"No."

"Well, what are you doing?"

She was nude when she opened the bathroom door. "I'm achy from the accident. I want to soak in the tub. Care to join me?"

"Will you let me hover over you?"

She smiled. "Definitely…"


	38. Chapter 38 grin

A/N: The next seven entries occur between season 6 and 7.

A grin slowly spread across Booth's face. "Wait...What? You're pregnant? Really? How did that happen? When did it happen? Okay, wait a minute...am I awake? Because last time this happened I was in my coma dream, right? So I'm awake? You're really pregnant? That's wonderful. Oh my God….I love you so much. This is so wonderful…a little baby boy…"

Brennan smiled in amazement as she listened to Booth babble excitedly. Any worry she might've had about his reaction vanished quickly. He was obviously thrilled, to her great relief.

"Or baby girl. Really, Booth, I think you know how this happened. As to when, I'm pretty sure it was the night I spent with you when Vincent died…"

Booth's grin grew wider. He was obviously proud of himself. "Bingo, baby. Got it right on the first try."

Brennan rolled her eyes and smiled. "And yes, you're quite awake based on the amount of jumping around you're doing. No one could sleep through that, and you're not in a coma. Are you really happy? When the shock wears off you may be upset. We haven't been in a relationship that long…"

"Oh, Bones…". He shook his head and smiled broadly. "We've had a relationship for years. The sex part is new, but it's not a new relationship." He paused, considering something. "Are you sure it was that first night? We've had lots of sex since then."

It was Brennan's turn to grin broadly. "Yes, I'm quite sure, even with all the sex. That was about six weeks ago. I still have to go to the doctor and get medical confirmation, but…"

"But nothing. We're having a baby. Oh my God, I'm gonna be a dad again. I love you, Bones."

She kissed him. "The baby and I love you, too, Booth."


	39. Chapter 39 change

"Bones….what's wrong?" Booth found her crying in the bedroom.

"I was thinking," she sniffled, "about anthropology and how it relates to child rearing."

"If I understood that, it might make me cry too. What's going on?" He sat down next to her.

"Aren't you concerned about us conceiving a child so soon after we began the sexual component of our relationship? Traditionally, men feel they have to support their children. I don't want you to feel bound by societal conventions. I can raise this child on my own. I don't want you to feel trapped….but I don't want you to leave me." More tears. "I'm sorry…pregnancy tears...my hormones are making me emotional."

"Bones….do you know how long I've loved you?"

She wiped away tears. "Angela says years."

"She's right. I remember that day we stood in front of the diner and I told you there was more than one kind of family. I already knew you'd change my life, but that was the day I knew I wanted you as my family. I still do. That'll never change."

"Things do change, Booth...some day you might find me unattractive, or get bored, or you might find someone like Hannah who you'll love more than me. I don't want to lose you."…Tears began to flow again.

Booth embraced her tenderly. "Hannah was a mistake, and I'm sorry that it happened. Please believe me, Bones. Baby or no baby, I've always wanted us to be a family. It happened differently than what I had in mind, but I'm so happy about how things turned out. I'm going to love you more every day. I'm going to be here for you, and our child, for the rest of my life, Ok? No more tears, alright? I'm not leaving."

She sniffed. "Promise?"

"Promise."


	40. Complete

Booth lay in the dark next to Bones, thinking about the evening before. There'd been many "pregnancy tears", as Bones had called them. He had known from Rebecca's pregnancy that hormones could play havoc with a woman's emotional state, but he was completely flummoxed when it occurred in Bones. She was always so rational and logical, and he still felt a bit of shock over the meltdown.

They had spent the nine weeks since Vincent's death adjusting to the new aspects of their relationship. Bones had been a little wary of the commitment involved, even with the reality that they'd be having a child together. He'd been careful to let her adjust to that new reality at her own pace, trying not to back her into a corner. But last night, in an unguarded moment fueled by emotion and hormones, she wanted him to make a commitment to stay with her. That was also completely unexpected. She had always been independent and resistant to asking for any type of assistance. When they had previously discussed his semen donation she had planned to raise the child by herself. Now she was apparently thinking of them as a unit...as a family. He knew she loved him but this was a big step for her. She had always said that relationships were temporary, but now it seemed she was planning on something more permanent.

Booth sighed...the dream he'd had for his family was finally going to be realized. The woman he had loved for years was going to be the mother of his child.

He sniffled a little bit and realized he had been crying. Bones rolled over and said softly, "What is it, Booth? Are you alright?"

He smiled as he embraced her. "I'm fine, Bones...just fine."


	41. Chapter 41 announce

Brennan stood looking in the full length mirror. She got close enough to examine the sclera of her eyes and the texture of her skin. She placed her hands on her hips and then on her abdomen as she looked facing the mirror, and then turned sideways to look at her profile.

Booth was leaning against the doorframe where she couldn't see him, watching with great amusement. After watching her for several minutes he finally said, "Bones, what are you doing?"

She was startled, and blushed when she realized he'd been watching her. "Booth! I didn't hear you come in."

"That's obvious. So, what are you doing?"

She sighed as she turned to face the mirror again. "I'm trying to decide if I look pregnant. I've noticed some changes already. What do you think?"

Booth, being a smart man, knew danger when he saw it. "I think you look as beautiful as ever, if not more so."

"You might not feel that way when I look like a dirigible. I've already noticed changes in my hips and breasts. Don't you think they look different?"

"When I think about your hips and breasts that's not what I'm thinking about. But you're early in the pregnancy. Why are you worried about this?"

"We'll need to decide when to announce the pregnancy. Maybe we should wait until it's more evident. What do you think?"

Booth grinned. "Right now I like having this little secret just between us. It's one of those 'what's ours is ours' kind of thing. Let's wait a few weeks and enjoy knowing something no one else does."

She smiled back at him. "I think I'll like that very much. It'll be fun seeing how our friends react when we finally surprise them. Let's wait a few more weeks."


	42. Chapter 42 Secret

"How's my boy?" Hodgins took Michael-Vincent from his wife and kissed her. "How are you doing, Ange? Tired?"

"I'm a bit tired. Brennan came to see me today. She stayed a couple of hours. We gossiped about everything going on in the lab. It was funny to see her with the baby. She was fascinated by him."

Hodgins smirked. "Of course she's fascinated by him. He's the world's cutest baby. Isn't that right, Michael-Vincent? Aren't you the cutest?" Hodgins blew bubbles on the baby's belly.

"I don't know. I kept thinking something was odd. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was keeping a secret from me. She said things with Booth are great, so I guess they're finally moving in the right direction. Evidently they're making up for lost time in the bedroom department." She took Michael-Vincent from her husband. "It's almost dinner time, isn't it, Baby?", she cooed.

"A secret? Seriously? Like Dr. B could ever keep a secret from you. You have radar when it comes to those things. I'd think you'd be able to make her tell you anything."

"Believe me, I tried. I even asked her if she was keeping a secret from me but she just laughed it off. Maybe while she's spending all that time with Booth he's teaching her how to be discreet, although she wasn't discreet talking about sex. She filled me in with lots of details on that topic. From what she says, Booth not only has excellent stamina, he's also very creative."

" Maybe you're just out of practice. I bet by the time you go back to work, you'll be able to find out what she's hiding. Isn't that right, Michael-Vincent?"

"I guess you're right. If Brennan can keep a secret from me, I must be out of practice."


	43. Chapter 43 self-conscious

There were adjustments to be made now that Booth and Brennan were taking turns at each other's apartments. Some adjustments were easy. Who's toothbrush was who's was settled by changing colors. Figuring where things went in the refrigerator was easily done. They adapted to how each one loaded the dishwasher. However, Brennan found other adjustments more difficult.

She wasn't really a morning person. It took her a while each morning to become socially acceptable. She was used to having a quiet start to the day: a shower, a cup of tea, a piece of toast, and something to read.

So it came as quite a surprise to her when she was awakened early one morning by the sound of Booth singing his repertoire of 80's hits at the top of his lungs while he took his post run shower. He started with "My Sharona", and then sang "867-5309". He finished with "Turn Me Loose." He walked from the bathroom into the bedroom, toweling off, when he realized she was awake.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up, Bones. I forgot not to sing so loud. I'm not a very good singer, either." He threw the towel in the clothes basket.

"No need to be self-conscious, Booth. I think you sing very well. Who originally sang that last song you were singing?"

He grinned. "Loverboy."

"That's appropriate." Brennan smiled slyly. "You sing almost as well as you make love. You know, 6 am is a little early for me to be up, since I don't have to be at work until 9. Could you help me pass the time? You're dressed for it…."

"Don't you want some breakfast, Bones?"

"Maybe later. Do you remember what my favorite 80's song is?"

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?"

"Exactly...I just wanna have fun…."


	44. reveal

All of Brennan's clothes were piled on the bed. "Booth, I think we'll need to reveal our pregnancy to our friends very soon. My body is changing quickly and none of my clothes fit anymore."

Booth stood in the doorway. "None of them fit? What are you going to wear to work?" He grinned at her. "I guess you can just button up your lab coat. Maybe no one will notice."

She wasn't amused. "I think my breasts have grown exponentially over the last few weeks."

"Believe me, I noticed." He twitched his eyebrows at her. "I definitely noticed, and I've really enjoyed it."

Brennan pretended to scowl at him. "You may not enjoy these changes when my hips widen and my abdomen expands."

He came into the room and embraced her. "I like your hips and abdomen, too. So when should we tell everybody?"

"I don't know…" Brennan was trying to fit into a shirt. "I guess I could send out an email at work."

"Oh, no you don't. 'Booth and I are having a baby' is not something that goes out over email."

"I know you hate pregnancy reveal parties, but that seems to be the most efficient way to tell everyone if I can't use email. ARRRGH." She was frustrated as she threw the shirt on the bed and picked up another. "We need to do this soon so I can show up at work in maternity clothes!"

Booth laughed. "I hate pregnancy reveal parties, unless they're for us. Let's see if we can get everyone to meet us at the Founding Fathers after work tonight, and we'll tell them, then, okay? You can go clothes shopping tomorrow."

"Good idea, Booth." Brennan kissed him and smiled. "Will you still love me when I'm fat?"

Booth smiled back. "Bones, I'll always love you."


	45. Truly

"Booth….wait…." Brennan hesitated before entering the Founding Fathers.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked, smiling. He'd been looking forward to this moment for days.

She shuddered slightly. "I'm quite nervous."

"You're just excited. This is a big deal…." Booth took a deep breath. "Come on….let's go." He winked at her. "You're the one who needs to start wearing maternity clothes, remember?"

Angela, Hodgins, Cam and Sweets sat at a table waiting for Booth and Brennan, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Booth was quite mysterious", Cam said, drinking her beer. "I bet they got married over the weekend."

Angela shook her head. "No way...it'll be years before he gets Brennan to agree to that. They're just moving in together. There they are…."

After ordering a round of drinks, Booth cleared his throat. "We have an announcement." He smiled lovingly at Brennan. "Bones has made me the happiest man on Earth…."

"Totally called it." Cam was pleased with herself.

Brennan blushed as her hands fluttered over her abdomen. Angela gasped, watching Brennan closely. "No….."

"Booth and I have entered into an exclusive monogamous relationship, and in six months we will become a family with the arrival of our child."

"Sweetie...how could you keep this a secret from me? I should've known….I'm so happy for you!"

"You've been preoccupied with caring for Michael-Vincent, Angela. Booth and I decided to keep this secret between us for a while." Brennan smiled at Booth, pleased that they were able to surprise their friends.

Hodgins and Sweets both shook Booth's hand vigorously, congratulating him on his impending fatherhood, while Cam and Angela hugged Brennan. Everyone talked at once about the happy news.

Booth watched Bones happily discussing the pregnancy with their friends and grinned. He knew without a doubt he truly was the happiest man on Earth.


	46. Chapter 46 Valentine

Booth pushed the door closed with his foot. "Bones...you home?"

"Yes…. What are all these things?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Bones! Look...flowers, a box of candy, and a gift, all for you!" He gave her a kiss.

Brennan was dismayed. "Booth...last year you said Valentine's Day was a ridiculous holiday, remember? "

"Last year I didn't have anyone to share it with in the traditional way. This year I do." He handed her a gift wrapped package. "Here….This is for you."

"But Booth….I don't have a gift for you…."

He waggled his eyebrows at her and grinned. "We'll take care of that later. Open your gift!"

Brennan saw how excited he was and smiled as she opened the box. Inside was a silver picture frame with the word FAMILY engraved across the bottom.

"So, I figure we can get a picture taken of us this year with Parker and the baby, and then every year we can get a new picture taken to put in the frame. Who knows? There might even be 3 or 4 kids in the picture one day." He looked over to see tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why are you crying? I can take it back if you don't like it. It's not a problem…"

"No, Booth...I love it. I really do. It's just….I never thought I'd get to have a family, and now, hearing you talk about taking a family picture every year...it's wonderful. Thank you." She kissed him.

"Well, families are made out of love. That's what we celebrate on Valentine's Day. I want this one to be as special as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre we celebrated last year."

Brennan laughed. "That was pretty special, wasn't it?"

"More than you'll ever know, Bones." He grinned. "Now, about _my_ present….come here…."


	47. Chapter 47 Stoned

A/N: this next section is made up of stories about Parker.

"Was that Rebecca on the phone, Booth?"

"Yeah. We have to start working on what to do about Parker's college education. It's a few years away but Rebecca likes to fret about things. We have to figure out if he'll go to college in the US or the UK."

"If Rebecca and her husband are living in the UK it might be a good opportunity for him to study at a university there or elsewhere in Europe."

"One problem is the expense. Universities in some parts of Europe can be expensive. Another problem is that Rebecca's husband is due to be transferred soon and they're not sure what their options are. I think it'll work out better if Parker goes to college in the States, at least for the first two years, but she's not sure that's a good idea."

"Booth, we can afford to help Parker go to school. I received a large advance from my next book."

"We could help, but I think Parker should get a job and pay for part of his education, to teach him some responsibility. Rebecca disagrees. She thinks I should pay for all of it. I also think he should go to a public university but she only wants him to go to a private college. She says he won't be as likely to get drunk or stoned at some fancy school. You and I know that's ridiculous. Most college kids can find a way to get drunk or stoned no matter where they go to school."

"Doesn't he get a choice, Booth? He might want to attend trade school, or work before he goes to college. He could travel around Europe, or even join the military. He's going to have lots of options."

Booth grimaced. "Now I know why we started this discussion 2 years early."


	48. Chapter 48 Prevention

"Booth, Parker's about 16, isn't he?"

"Yeah, next month. Why?"

"I was wondering if you've discussed prevention of sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancies with him yet."

"What? Why would you bring that up?"

"In other words, no. Hopefully, Parker's already heard information about these health issues in school, but my research indicates that fathers are often more effective in talking to their sons."

"I'm sure Rebecca and her husband have already had the 'talk' with Parker. There are girls in the UK."

"I don't know why you're so squeamish, Booth. You became sexually active at 16. Where did you get your information? You want Parker to be educated about this sort of thing, don't you?"

"Pops told me about things when I was a kid, but I also heard a lot about it from the guys at school."

"Given the viability, motility, and high count of your sperm you're fortunate you didn't get several girls pregnant."

"How many girlfriends do you think I've had?"

"You've mentioned several. Were you exaggerating your sexual prowess?"

"I think you've had experience with my sexual prowess, so you know the answer to that question. "

"Yes, I do."

"I guess I'm not comfortable talking about sex with Parker because I still think of him as a little boy, but he's actually a man, isn't he? I'm not sure how I feel about him being sexually active now, even if I was active at his age."

"I think the important thing is to be nonjudgmental so that he'll feel comfortable talking to you. He mostly needs to know that you care, and that you're ready to listen. You'll do fine, Booth. You've always had a good relationship with Parker. It'll be good practice for talking to Christine when she's a teenager."

"No way. You're going to handle that one."

"Coward!"


	49. Chapter 49 music

Booth accessed the Skype link. "Parker! Man, look at you! You must've grown at least 2 inches since the last time we skyped!"

"Hey, Dad. Yeah, I'm almost six feet tall."

"Pretty soon you'll be bigger than your old man...but I'll still be tougher!"

Parker flashed his own version of a Boothy grin. "Whatever, Dad! Anyway, did Mom tell you that she and Brent are moving stateside?"

"Yeah, that's what I heard. I guess that means you'll be going to college in the US, right?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm gonna try to get accepted into the Coast Guard Academy, but if I don't, I want to enlist in the Coast Guard. Either way, I want to join and audition to play in their band."

"The Coast Guard has a band?"

"Yeah. Some of my friends here in the UK tried out for the Royal Marine Band, and a couple were given a second audition. My music teacher had the director listen to me, even though I can't be a Royal Marine, and the director was really encouraging. He said I could be a pro. So if I do this, I can do two things I want to do: play music, and continue the Booth tradition in the military. But first I want to make sure you're okay with it."

"Why wouldn't I be okay with it?"

"Because my stepdad is a Coast Guard man, and you were in the Army. I don't want you to think I prefer him to you. You're my dad."

It took a minute for Booth to regain his composure. "Uncle Jared will be happy to hear that you don't want to be a Marine. The Coast Guard is a fine organization. And Parker...I'm so proud to be your Dad."


	50. Chapter 50 behind

It was Father's Day. Christine and Joey were taking their daddy to see a baseball game. The Phillies were in town to play the Nationals, and even though the game was sold out Brennan had managed to get them seats behind the Phillies dugout. She also asked Booth to take a vacation day so there'd be little risk of him being called out on a case. Aubrey would take Booth's calls. Brennan wanted to make sure he could relax and enjoy himself with his family for the day.

Booth was thrilled. He'd been trying to teach the rules of baseball to his wife and children for just such an occasion. He had fond memories of going to baseball games with his father, and he wanted to make sure his kids would have the same kind of memories with him. He also knew that even if they didn't understand the rules it would be fun to do something together as a family. It was a bonus that they were getting to see the Phillies play. He found his Phillies tee shirt and hat, and got out his old glove.

The excitement built to fever pitch as they waited to enter the stadium. As they started down the stadium steps, Booth stopped suddenly. "Bones…..some guy's sitting in one of our seats! We're gonna have to ask him to move. Is there an usher around? I don't wanna make a scene, but those are my seats!"

Brennan looked down at the young man wearing the baseball cap. "Maybe if you ask him nicely, he'll move. He probably just made a mistake. We'll wait here while you handle it."

Booth rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright." He walked down towards the seats. "Hey, buddy…"

"Yeah?"

"You're in the wrong seat…...PARKER?"

"SURPRISE! Happy Father's Day, Dad!"


	51. Chapter 51 Honor

A/N: These next few Parker stories take place when he's about 17...so maybe 2 years in the future.

Booth and Brennan waited at the end of a long hallway for the passengers from the London flight. Finally they saw an attractive young couple walking quickly toward them. Parker and his girlfriend had finally arrived.

Parker threw down his backpack and stepped into his father's hug, wiping away something that looked suspiciously like a tear. "Hi, Dad. Hi, Temperance."

"It's good to see you, Parker." Booth was wiping away tears also. "Would you introduce us to your friend?"

"Yeah." Parker blushed a little. "Dad, Temperance...this is my girlfriend Meredith Chenowith. Meredith...my dad, Seeley Booth and my stepmom, Dr. Temperance Brennan."

The petite dark haired girl shyly stepped forward. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Booth. Parker's told me so much about your work with the FBI. And it's an honor to meet you, Dr. Brennan. I'm quite a fan…" Meredith hesitated and turned toward Parker.

"Meredith would like it if you'd sign a book for her, Temperance."

Brennan noticed that Parker was giving Meredith the same loving look she had often received from Booth. Like father, like son… "Of course, Meredith. Now I'm the one who's honored."

Meredith smiled and giggled. "Oh, thank you so very much." Meredith took Parker's hand in hers and gave him a kiss.

"Meredith….not in front of my parents!"

Brennan and Booth exchanged small smiles. It was strange to see Parker with a girlfriend, but they were obviously very much in love. Meredith was going to stay a week with them and Parker was going to take her for some sightseeing in the DC area. Brennan hoped they would be able to take their eyes off each other long enough to see the sights.

Booth smiled. "We'd better go get your bags. Christine is really excited to see you. Let's not keep her waiting!"


	52. Chapter 52 Ashamed

"Good morning, Parker. Did you sleep well?" Brennan was cleaning the kitchen.

He wore a sleepy grin as he fixed some cereal. "Okay, I guess. The time difference always messes with me." He sat down at the counter.

"Parker, I need to talk to you about something."

"If it's about Dad's gambling, I already know." Parker ate another spoonful. "He told me months ago."

"No. It's nothing like that." Brennan sat next to Parker. "I heard you in Meredith's room last night. I got up to check on Joey, and…."

Parker turned fifteen shades of red. "Oh my God….um, we weren't doing anything….I mean, you know…like that…"

Brennan smiled. "Wanting to show affection to someone you love is a normal part of life. It's a natural biological function and you don't have to be ashamed of that. I assume you're using some sort of protection to avoid unwanted illnesses or pregnancy, correct?"

Parker turned white this time. "You mean like...condoms and stuff?"

"Yes, or birth control pills. I think it would be inconvenient for Meredith to become pregnant at this time in her life, wouldn't it?"

Parker nodded, and looked like he might throw up.

Brennan continued. "I know this is awkward. I'm not scolding you. I understand that these biological urges are very strong. However, I'm not sure how your father would feel if he knew you were sexually active, even though he became active when he was 16.

"Well, it's not like we're that active, really, and we're being careful. Dad was 16? Wow…"

"That's what he told me….16. I'm sure he really doesn't want you to know that so keep that to yourself. You might also want to be discreet while Meredith is here."

"Yeah, definitely. Thanks, Bones."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Parker."


	53. Chapter 53 attentive

"Dad, Meredith and I are gonna go to the Washington Monument and see all the stuff in that area, and then go get some dinner. We may not be back until late this evening."

"Okay. Hey, you guys need to save at least part of tomorrow to check out the Jeffersonian. They've got a lot of cool stuff there."

"What do you think, Meredith? Would you like that?" Parker turned to his girlfriend.

She nodded. "I'd like that very much."

"Bones, do you think Meredith might be able to see your office? Maybe take a picture?"

"I'm sure we could work that out, Booth."

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan!"

Booth and Brennan curled up together on the sofa after Parker and Meredith left. "It's weird seeing him with a girlfriend, Bones. It's like we skipped 5 or 6 years of his life. I still think of him as a little boy, but he's definitely a grown man, isn't he?"

"What I've noticed most, Booth, is how much Parker is like you. I see you in the way Parker talks to Meredith. He speaks to her with so much respect, and he's so attentive to her. Whoever he marries will be lucky to have such a fine man for a husband."

Booth was pleased but slightly embarrassed. "I think Rebecca and Brent have influenced Parker in a good way, too."

Brennan shrugged. "I'm sure that's true, but Parker's mannerisms are very much like yours. You've taught him to treat other people well, just like you do." 

"I learned that from Pops." Booth smiled. "It's nice to know that I managed to pass on all the good things Pops and Nana taught me, you know?"

"I'm sure they'd be very pleased, Booth. You're a good man, and so is your son."


	54. Chapter 54 Motivated

Brennan had taken Christine and Meredith to Colonial Williamsburg for the day so Booth could have some father/son time with Parker. The men were headed to their favorite fishing spot.

They finally got there and put their lines in the water. It was time to catch up with each other. "Meredith is a really nice girl, Parker. Bones and I like her a lot."

"Yeah, she's nice. She's also really smart, and she has a great sense of humor. She's kinda shy, but when she relaxes around people she's lots of fun."

"How did you meet?"

"She goes to the girls' school that's affiliated with the church I attend. They came for one of the services. I noticed her right away. I wasn't looking for a girlfriend since I have to move back to the States soon, but things just happen, you know?"

Booth nodded. He'd experienced that himself. "Yeah, I know. I had a girlfriend when I met Bones, but I couldn't get Bones out of my mind."

"I love Meredith. She brings out the best in me. I think I'm motivated to do things well when I'm with her because I don't want her to think I'm a slacker. What she thinks is important to me."

"I feel that way about Bones...more than any other woman I've known."

"I've never felt like that about a girl. Most of the time I just thought girls were cute. This is different."

"Being in love does that to a guy. I'm glad you're happy, Parker."

"I'd be happier if we could figure out the long distance part of the relationship, but Meredith says we should just take a day at a time."

"She's right...enjoy what you have together now."

Parker smiled. "I guess so. Hey, Dad...I think you've got a fish…" 


	55. Chapter 55 Promise

"Parker, you brought a blue shirt with you, right?" Brennan was getting everyone ready for the family picture.

"Yes, as promised. What do you think?" He spun around, modeling it for her.

She thought Parker looked like a blonde version of his father. He was a handsome young man. "You look very nice, Parker."

She checked Christine's blouse to make sure it was still clean, and pulled down Joey's shirt in front. Both of them wore clothes the same color as Parker's shirt. Brennan's sweater was the same shade. "Now...where is your father?" She muttered mostly to herself, but was answered with a hug from behind.

"I'm right here. How do I look?" Brennan stood back to admire him. She'd picked this color for the family picture because Booth looked exceptionally good in blue. "Great!"

"So, are we ready? Enough of this silly family stuff. I got a hockey game to watch." He gave her a grin that told her he was teasing so she played along.

"Booth!", Brennan whined. "You promised to play nice for the picture." She stuck out her lower lip in a fake pout.

"Oh, alright." He kissed her and smiled. "I'll be nice. Is the camera ready?"

"Yes!" Brennan was practically bouncing up and down. "Let's get settled on the couch so we can take our family picture for my frame. Come on!"

Booth and Brennan sat together. Booth held Christine and Brennan held Joey. Parker stood behind the couch, crouching a little to fit in the shot.

"Ready? Smile! Again. Funny faces!" The whole family laughed as they grimaced for the camera. "One more good one!" They all smiled broadly.

"Thank you, Booth." Brennan hugged him later that evening.

"What for?" He smiled.

"My family. I'll always be grateful for the family you've given me."


	56. Chapter 56 complicated

"Dad, why are girls so hard to understand?'' Parker was skyping with Booth. "I don't get it."

Booth smiled. "You and the rest of the men in the world. Women just think differently than men do."

"Every time I think I know what Meredith thinks about something she changes her mind without telling me, but I'm supposed to know anyway. We end up arguing, and then her feelings get hurt, and I feel like the bad guy. Why are things so complicated?"

"Your mother and I used to have the same problem when we were together. It's a communication issue. It can be hard to deal with because, like you said, it can lead to hurt feelings. Things will get worse if you don't discuss it with Meredith, but you have to be tactful and not make it sound like her fault."

"Even when I think it's her fault?" Parker grinned.

"That's where the tact comes in."

"You don't have this problem with Bones, do you, Dad? You seem to communicate really well with her."

"With her, it's the opposite problem. She tells me what she thinks even if I don't want to know. If she changes her mind, she gives me a blow by blow description of why. But at least I almost always know where I stand. She makes me mad sometimes, but we work it out."

Parker hesitated a minute. "Why do you think you get along better with her than you did with Mom?"

"We're older and more mature to start with, and I always know Bones will tell me the absolute truth, even if I didn't want to hear it. There's a lot of trust between us….always has been...but it also takes lots of hard work."

"I know. Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, Parker. Glad to help."


	57. Chapter 57 Passage

"How's Parker?", Brennan asked. She hadn't been able to go to the airport with Booth.

Booth shook his head. "He says he's fine, but I know better. He's still upset about leaving Meredith to come back to the States."

"Did he tell you that?"

"He didn't have to. I could see it in his eyes. He's taking it hard."

"He knew this was going to happen….that he had to move back to the US."

"Yes, he knew, Bones, but that doesn't make it any easier. Meredith was his first real love, and it's painful for him to have to give her up."

Brennan nodded. "I remember my first love...Scott Morrison….I had to leave him when I went into foster care. I cried excessively over him."

"My first love was Marianne Moreno. She was gorgeous….long black hair, big brown eyes…" Booth sighed. "I left St. Anne's school after eighth grade and went to public high school. Marianne went to parochial high school. She's got six kids now."

"Do you think Parker will be able to get over this loss in his life, Booth?"

"Yeah, but it'll take some time. We've got to let him grieve for a bit first, but he'll come around in time, and eventually he'll find someone new."

"Anthropologically speaking, having a first love is a rite of passage. It's another step toward adulthood, teaching us about love and loss, and preparing us to love someone else."

Booth put his arms around his wife. "That's really deep, Bones. So Marianne Moreno and Scott Morrison prepared us to love each other?"

She smiled. "Yes, and so did everyone else we've loved. It made us see what we really wanted...and we recognized that in each other."

Booth kissed her. "Yes, we did...and I'm thankful for that every day."


	58. Chapter 58 reunion

Booth was grinning from ear to ear. "I just got off Skype with Parker. He and Meredith are engaged."

Brennan was surprised. "I thought he was going to London to see some of his old classmates. A reunion, right?" 

"Yeah, but one of his friends invited Meredith. He thought Parker would like to see her, and he was right. I guess Parker never really got over Meredith…"

"But, Booth, what about Julie? I thought they were in love." It was hard to keep up with Parker's girlfriends.

Booth shrugged. "It just wasn't the same." He paused. "I know how he feels…."

"You do?"

"Yeah." Booth was slightly embarrassed. "When I came home from Afghanistan, I was in love with Hannah. But then I saw you that night, and I think deep down I knew it just wasn't the same, and it never would be." He sighed. "I was angry at you, and I was determined to make it work with Hannah so I could get over you…but I couldn't forget that I loved you."

"I'm very glad you couldn't forget that, Booth. You've made my life wonderful."

He smiled. "Anyway, Parker tried to get over Meredith, but he probably compared every girl to her, and it just wasn't the same. I guess that's why he's had so many different girlfriends. He was looking for one just like her, but none of them were good enough. They weren't Meredith."

"When's the wedding?"

"They're not sure yet. There are details to be worked out, but it'll be in London. I guess we'd better make sure everybody has valid passports so we can all go. Man, I can't believe he's old enough to get married…."

Brennan embraced her husband. "I hope they're as happy as we've been, Booth."

Booth kissed his wife and smiled. "I hope so, too."


	59. Chapter 59 defenseless

Booth and Brennan were watching their grandkids so Parker and Meredith could go out for their anniversary. After a long evening of playing, it was story time. Grammy read the boys the newest children's book she had written. She had discovered they could be her harshest critics, but they were also quite valuable in helping her gauge what children enjoyed.

Finally it was time for Pops to regale them with one of his stories. He balanced Ian on one knee and Henry on the other. "What would you boys like to hear about tonight? Pirates? Explorers?"

Ian flashed a Boothy grin. "We want to hear about when Daddy was a little boy." Henry nodded solemnly. "Daddy says he was always good in school."

"Well, he was good most of the time. He didn't like to get into trouble. But there was one time when I had to see the principal because he got into a fight."

"A fight?" Ian was instantly impressed. "He won, right?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, he did, but it's bad to fight at school. I was very angry with him at first, until he told me what happened."

"Tell us!" Ian and Henry were fascinated.

"Your daddy had stepped in when a bully was teasing someone who couldn't defend himself. He told the bully that it was wrong to pick on someone who was defenseless. The bully wouldn't stop, so your daddy punched him. He should've told the teacher instead, so he got in trouble for fighting."

"That's not fair! He did the right thing!" The boys were very upset.

Their grandfather nodded. "He did a good thing, but he should've let the teacher handle it. Okay? You remember that."

"Pops? Grammy's a teacher, right? Does she take care of bullies?"

Pops grinned. "You better believe it!"


	60. Chapter 60 bad

A/N: THIS NEXT SECTION IS MADE UP OF STORIES ABOUT CHRISTINE.

"Christine got in trouble at school?" Booth was surprised. "How bad can it be? She's just a little kid."

"I'll have her explain it to you, Booth, and you can decide for yourself. Christine, tell Daddy what happened."

Booth recognized Christine's expression immediately. She looked just like Bones looked when she thought she was right.

"Daddy….I bit Jennifer Applegate today."

"Why did you do that?"

Christine rolled her eyes. "Because, Daddy, it's against the rules to hit someone. Jennifer made me mad. She said her mommy was smarter and prettier than my mommy. I told her she was wrong but she wouldn't listen. She said I'm stupid, but I'm actually quite intelligent. So I bit her arm to make her stop talking. It worked. She cried instead. But I didn't hit her so I shouldn't be in trouble."

Booth sighed. "Christine, you should never bite, hit, or kick anyone. You know better than that. Mommy and I are very disappointed in you."

"But, Daddy…."

Brennan interrupted. "Christine, while I appreciate that you think I'm smarter and prettier than Mrs. Applegate, that's not an appropriate way to behave. If you thought Jennifer was being mean to you, you should've told your teacher and let her talk to Jennifer. However, since you took matters into your own hands, there are consequences at school and at home. Mrs. Hammersmith says you must do school service during recess for 3 weeks, and you may not use your tablet for two weeks at home."

"Mommy, that's not fair!" Christine started to cry.

"Go to your room. We'll talk later."

When Christine left the room Booth shook his head at his wife. "She tried to use logic on me to get out of trouble. She's just like her mother."

Brennan smiled slyly. "She learned from the best, Booth."


	61. Chapter 61 Blackout

"Booth, Christine had an interesting idea for her birthday party this year. Remember that book she likes so much? Black out?"

"You mean the one where the family is separated from each other during the New York City blackout and have to figure out how to get back together? I like that book, too."

"Christine thought it might be fun to have our guests start from different parts of the neighborhood and try to get here with only a map and a flashlight, and, of course, an adult to help read the map. It'll be a sort of scavenger hunt, except they're looking for our house."

"Sort of like orienteering? That would be fun. Maybe she can help make the maps, too."

"Good idea. When the guests get here we can have a cookout over the firepit...you know, tofu hot dogs and veggie burgers."

Booth wasn't impressed with the menu. "Tofu hot dogs ought to be illegal! Yuk! How will we keep the ice cream cold?"

"We don't have to be totally without electricity. The ice cream can stay in the freezer." Brennan smiled. "I enjoy planning birthday parties around a theme. Maybe we can get some of those plastic stars that glow in the dark, and later in the evening we can do some stargazing."

"Sounds like a plan. You're pretty good at this birthday planning stuff. Between you and Christine coming up with ideas I think everyone will have a lot of fun."

"You know, Booth", she said, as she embraced her husband, "you're the one who showed me how to plan a birthday party. You're an excellent father."

"Well, Bones", he said, grinning, " we want our kids to have the best, coolest birthday parties on the block, right?"

She laughed. "Definitely. The very best and coolest birthday parties."

A/N: BLACK OUT IS REAL WORK OF FICTION FOR CHILDREN.


	62. Chapter 62 Game

"Booth, I enrolled Christine in a soccer program for young children. They'll practice once a week and play some games on Saturdays."

"Soccer? Can't she play some American game? Soccer...what's the world coming to…"

"She was quite excited. She's wanted to try it since she saw the picture of Parker in his outfit."

"Uniform. It's okay for Parker...he lives in the UK and has to blend in."

"In doing research I found that soccer is a good game for children. The rules are simple, they don't need much coordination, and they get aerobic exercise. And, as you know, Booth, sports build confidence...at least, that's what you've told me."

Game day finally arrived. Christine proudly dressed herself in her pink shirt, pink shorts, and pink striped socks. She walked into the kitchen and said, "I'm ready for my first soccer game.

How do I look, Daddy?"

" Like you could kick the ball to the moon!"

"Daddy! I just want to kick it into the net!"

Booth grumbled under his breath as he watched 15 little girls in pink shirts chase the ball around against a team of 15 little girls in lavender shirts. "No skill involved...not a real sport...they look like herds of puppies." Then something happened to completely change his opinion of soccer.

"Booth, did you see that?" Brennan had jumped out of her chair, jostling Joey and spilling her coffee. "Christine made a point!"

"My daughter scored her first goal!", Booth yelled. " Way to go, Christine. Hurry...run after the ball...try to get it from that girl...run...another goal! Unbelievable! Two goals for Christine!"

After celebrating the 15-15 tie with juice boxes and cookies, the tired family drove home.

Booth grinned at his wife. "You know, Bones...soccer is kind of fun."


	63. Chapter 63 Burn

"Christine, let me put some sunscreen on you. I don't want you to get a sunburn." Brennan got the sunscreen for children out of her bag.

"Mommy, that stuff smells yucky and it's sticky. I don't want it on me." Christine stuck out her lip and stamped her foot in the sand.

"Exposure to the sun's rays is detrimental to people like you and me who have less melanin than other people. Remember how much it hurt when you got too much sun exposure at Michael-Vincent's house?" Brennan rubbed sunscreen on her daughter, who began to wail loudly.

"Stop, Mommy! I hate it! I don't want any more!" Christine tried to pull away.

Booth sat up from where he was laying on the beach chair. "Christine, if you're going to act like that when Mommy puts sunscreen on you, we'll have to go home, and I won't get to make a sand castle. I'll be very sad. I've been looking forward to making a sand castle all week."

Christine crossed her arms across her chest and pouted a little bit more. She looked just like Bones did when she was being stubborn. Booth gave Bones a quick wink.

"Well, Mommy, better pack up everything. Too bad we can't have fun because Christine doesn't like sunscreen. Poor Daddy. No sand castle…." Booth pretended to pout.

Brennan shook her head. "Sorry, Daddy. Sorry, Joey. Christine isn't cooperating. Let's go home."

Christine watched as her parents gathered all their belongings and her little brother so they could go home. "Wait, Mommy. If I wear sunscreen, can we stay? I want to play in the sand with Daddy."

"I don't know. Can you behave more appropriately, Christine?"

"Yes. I promise. Can we please stay?"

"Okay." Her daddy smiled. "We can stay. Go find a place for the castle."


	64. Chapter 64 threat

It was perfect. The ballpark seats were in front of the TV. The popcorn and soy hot dogs were ready. The kids had their baseball caps. Booth was going to teach his children the game of baseball.

Booth bounced Joey on his knee as they watched the game. "Ball four, and Revere trots down to first. Wacha better keep an eye on him. Revere's a threat to steal."

Christine asked, "Daddy, why are they letting that bad man play the game?"

"What?"

"They said he was going to steal something. Mommy says stealing is bad and people get rested if they steal."

"Arrested. He's not doing anything bad. He's just trying to go to the next place when the other players aren't looking."

"Mommy says if I do that when I play Candy Land, it's cheating, and that's not fair."

"But it's okay in baseball. Just watch for a minute, okay?"

The announcer continued, "Martin was hit by the pitch. He'll take his base. Two on and nobody out."

"Daddy, why isn't that man out? When we play Dodgeball if you get hit by the ball, you're out."

Booth sighed. This was almost as difficult as explaining the game to Bones. "Christine, different games have different rules. In dodgeball, you're out. In baseball, you're not out. There are a lot of other ways to get out in baseball."

Joey started to cry just as the center fielder tried to make a spectacular catch. Booth bounced the baby on his knee again as he explained to Christine what a ground rule double was. He missed a play at the plate because he had to sweep up spilled popcorn. The Cubs were beating the Phillies. It was going to be a long season, but it was going to be worth it to spend baseball time with his kids.


	65. Chapter 65 Caught

It was kids' fishing day at the local park. The pond had been stocked with perch and families brought their children for a day of outdoor fun. Booth was teaching Christine the finer points of angling.

"Christine, you have to be careful with fishhooks because they're sharp, okay? Now, we put the worm on like this..."

"Daddy, doesn't that hurt the worm if the hook is sharp?" Christine had tears in her eyes.

"I don't think worms can feel it." A white lie….but Booth didn't want to upset his little girl.

"Daddy, why do fish eat worms? Worms are yucky and swishy." Christine grimaced as she wiped her hands on her shirt, trying to get the worm slime off.

"I don't know. They just do. Here...put your bait in the water and watch the bobber. When the bobber goes under water, pull real hard."

"Daddy, if I catch a fish, can we eat it? I like to eat fish. Mommy says fish is good for our brains."

"I think these fish are kinda small. We'd probably have to catch a lot of them to have enough for dinner. Hey….where's your bobber? Better pull up your line!"

Christine yanked hard on her pole and pulled a small perch out of the water. "Daddy, Daddy!" she squealed, jumping up and down. "I caught one! Look, I caught one! Can we keep him, Daddy?"

Booth looked at the tiny fish on the end of the line, and at his excited daughter, trying not to laugh. "Sweetheart, that fish is too little to keep. We better send him home to his mommy, okay? Maybe the next one will be bigger."

"Maybe I can catch a whale! Fishing is fun, isn't it?"

Booth smiled, imagining fishing trips with his daughter. "Yeah, Sweetheart. Fishing is lots of fun."


	66. Chapter 66 Blood

Booth woke with a start. "Dammit!" He must've dozed off in his chair. He was supposed to be watching Christine and Michael-Vincent while Bones and Angela enjoyed a day out. Leaving those two bright kids unsupervised was not a good idea…

He heard them laughing in Hank's room. As he went to check on them he noticed red drops on the floor in varying amounts and splatter patterns…."Oh my God…" It was everywhere...walls, furniture...one of them must be bleeding profusely….but they were laughing...then another thought…"HANK!" He sprinted to the baby's room in a panic.

"Hi, Daddy." Christine and Michael-Vincent were covered in red stuff, trying to look innocent.

"What are you two doing in here? Is Hank okay? Jesus….." Booth looked around Hank's room. There were bright red splotches and puddles everywhere, except on Hank. Christine's stuffed dog was covered with large red spots. Someone must have bled all over the place. Booth was nauseated…

"We're playing Jeffersonian.", Christine chirped. "I'm Dr. Brennan, world famous forensic anthropologist."

Michael-Vincent nodded. "I'm Dr. Hodgins, world famous bug boy. This is a crime scene."

Booth was still confused. "You're pretending to be at a crime scene?"

Christine rolled her eyes. "Daddy... you're silly. Did you think this was real blood? It's catsup, see? My puppy was the victim and we're looking for clues."

"Why are you playing in Hank's room?"

"He's an FBI guy. He stands around while Dr. Brennan and Dr. Hodgins do the real work." 

As annoyed as he was by Christine's assessment of his job, he knew there was a much bigger problem that had to be handled immediately.

"We've got to get this make believe crime scene cleaned up or there'll be a real crime scene when Mommy gets home!" 


	67. Chapter 67 Plan

A/N: THIS NEXT GROUP OF STORIES ABOUT CHRISTINE TAKE PLACE ABOUT 15 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.

"Hi, Dad. I'm glad you could meet me for lunch." Christine gave him a hug.

"I'm happy to see you, too, but I'm a little surprised you wanted me to come by myself. What's up?"

Christine paused, trying to figure out how to begin. "Dad, I have a plan for what I want to do next summer when school's out, but I'm afraid Mom is going to be upset. I need to know how to tell her about it."

Booth was stunned. "What could be so bad that you can't tell your mother? Are you hitchhiking across Africa? Because I think she did that herself."

"No, nothing like that, although that might be easier for her to understand." Christine took a deep breath and continued. "I want to spend next summer at a Benedictine convent in West Virginia so I can explore a religious vocation. I'm thinking about becoming a nun."

"A nun?" Booth was shocked. This was the last thing he expected to hear from his daughter.

"I can get my degree and be a nurse or even a doctor in a mission field. I really feel a call on my life. The first step is to go for a short time to see if I like it. It's not a commitment. If I don't like it I can leave at any time."

"Christine, if this is what you want to do, then go for it. Your mother doesn't believe in God, but she'll want you to explore all of the options for your life. Before you discuss this with her, be sure you've done all your research, and be prepared for an argument. But if you're meant to do this, she'll eventually accept it."

"Thanks, Daddy."

"Anytime, sweetheart." Booth stirred his coffee, silently praying that Bones really would accept it eventually….


	68. Chapter 68 Discover

"Booth, did you know that Christine wants to spend next summer at a Benedictine convent?"

Busted. "I've heard her mention that. Why?"

"When she told me about it today at lunch her presentation was quite thorough. She had answers for all of my questions, like she'd been coached….similar to the way you coach an FBI agent who's going to testify in court."

"I imagine the Sister Superior gave her some information. What do you think about her visiting the convent?"

"I understand that she wants to explore many options, and I've always known that she has an altruistic personality."

"Um...what?" Booth was confused.

"She wants to help people, like you do.

"Oh." He smiled. "So what did you tell her?"

Brennan shrugged. "That she's a grown woman and she doesn't need my approval. I'd like her to explore options outside the religious world, but it's not my choice."

"I see." Booth was really surprised.

"We discussed it as adults. I told her that if she wanted to stay at the convent she'd have to commit to being there all summer, and that I'd like her to take college courses there. The curriculum she showed me is very rigorous. I also asked her to volunteer or do internships with some non-religious organizations that help people, like Volunteer for America, or the Peace Corps."

"That's a good idea. That would help her decide if she really has a religious calling. I'm proud of you, Bones. Way to be open minded."

Brennan sighed. "I really do hope she discovers a career path outside of a religious organization but I'll support whatever she chooses."

"Even if it's a convent?"

"It'll be hard, but I want her to be happy...so yes, even if she chooses a convent."

Booth kissed his wife. "You're a really good mom, Bones."


	69. Chapter 69 Memorable

"Mom, you're a woman, right?"

Angela almost choked on her sandwich. She looked at Michael-Vincent to see if he was joking, since he'd inherited his father's sense of humor, but he was serious.

"Yes, Sweetie, I'm a woman. Why?"

"I need advice from a woman. I want to take Christine on a real date before I leave for Paris and she leaves to spend summer at the convent, but I'm not sure what we should do. We go to movies a lot, and eat meals together all the time. I want something different for this, so it'll be special. You know, something we'll remember."

Angela smiled. "The most memorable date I ever had was the first date I had with your father. We went to the park and played on swings. He'd heard me say something about childhood and swings. It wasn't so much what we did, but that he listened to me. That's very romantic."

Michael-Vincent rolled his eyes. "You're weird, Mom. Playing on swings does not sound romantic."

"You need to think about what Christine has told you about what she values...what she wants to do. Maybe a benefit concert or a trip to an art museum. Something where you can relax, have fun, and just be yourselves. It doesn't have to be formal."

"Okay. I'll think about it." He sighed heavily.

"What's the matter, Sweetie?"

Tears rolled down his cheek. "What if she decides she wants to be a nun? What am I gonna do? We've been best friends literally our whole lives."

Angela hugged her son and let him cry. "When we love people we have to let them make choices that we may not like. You'll always be friends with Christine. If you want to be more, you need to tell her."

Michael-Vincent sniffled. "I know. Thanks, Mom."


	70. Chapter 70 Walk

"Did you like the concert?" Michael-Vincent brought ice cream to the park bench where Christine was sitting.

"Yes! I loved hearing those different groups and genres. It was nice that it was a benefit for local food pantries, and it was fun doing something different."

They walked through all the artist displays set up for the evening, stopping every now and then to inspect some artwork. "Do you think you'll set up art like this in Paris, Michael-Vincent?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, smiling. "I'm mostly going to work on my oil technique with a teacher my mom knows. I'm not sure I'll produce anything worth seeing."

"In six months, you'd better produce something!" Christine grinned. "I think you're just going to check out the girls."

"No…." His smile faded a bit. "Are you ready to go visit the convent? That doesn't sound like much fun."

"It's a spiritual journey. I'm trying to find my true vocation. It might not be fun, but it's necessary for me to do this."

"Aren't there convents in Paris?"

Christine sighed. It was hard to explain without hurting his feelings. "We rarely spend any time apart. I think we should see how it feels to do something individually."

He nodded. "You're tired of me."

"Of course not. But even when we date other people we go on double dates together. I just need a little time and space to think about my future."

"Christine….I love you. I want you to make a choice that'll make you happy, no matter what, but I'll miss you…" He brushed tears away.

"I'll miss you when you're in Paris. You'll be gone longer than me. And I love you, too."

"If we love each other, why are we leaving, Christine?"

She gave Michael-Vincent a hug. "So we can grow up."


	71. Chapter 71 Swim

Christine had been home from the convent for almost a week. She hadn't had much to say about it one way or the other, but her mother decided it was time to change that.

"Christine...", Brennan began, as they enjoyed croissants and coffee, "I'm surprised you haven't told us about your time at the convent."

Christine sighed. "I've been trying to decide how I feel about it. I don't really think there's a word to describe it."

"Perhaps multiple words are in order."

"Perhaps. There were a lot of things I liked about it. It's calm….peaceful. There's a rhythm...an order to how things flow. I could sense that the sisters feel a purpose in their lives."

Brennan nodded. "That sense of order and purpose can be quite comforting."

"That's true. But there were other times I felt like a fish swimming the wrong way against the school. It's hard to explain." Christine hesitated for a minute. "You've always taught me to think for myself, so whenever something was explained as 'St. Benedict said so' it irritated me a lot. The rules seemed arbitrary. I didn't like that part of the experience, and I was disappointed, because the Benedictine rule is central to their way of life."

"Christine….You feel an intense need to help other people. There are many ways you can do that without joining a convent. You can teach, become a doctor, do medical research, or become a social worker. While you do those things you can be active in a church which will give you an avenue to change society if you want to do so."

Christine smiled slightly. "Sister Superior said the same thing. I can change the world in lots of ways besides a religious vocation. I can be a fish swimming in my own direction."


	72. Chapter 72 Stab

"Are you feeling any little pangs of guilt?" Michael-Vincent smiled at his wife.

"More like big stabs of guilt! What did we do?" Christine Hodgins laughed as she rolled over to face her husband. "I fly to Paris to visit for a few days, and we get married? Without our families here?" She shook her head, smiling.

"Well, look at it this way...we've saved them a lot of time and expense. You know they expected us to get married some day. It was just sooner than they expected." Michael-Vincent pulled Christine close. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"Deliriously so...although perhaps we should've planned things a little better…."

"This turned out exactly the way I planned it." Michael-Vincent sat up and stretched. "You're my wife like I always wanted you to be."

"But where am I going to work, Mikey? I don't speak French. I still need to finish at least a year of school to get my degree. You're not working…."

"You're going to fly home tomorrow. I'll be home in a few weeks. I've got a job lined up teaching art at an elementary school. You can still finish your degree, and even go to grad school if you want. Come on, Chrissy...it's all going to work out..."

"So when will we announce our marriage?" Christine grinned and poked her husband. "I don't know if I can keep this a secret for long!"

"When I get home we'll have our parents over for dinner and tell them then. I really don't think they're going to be surprised."

"I don't think my mom will care about me not having a real wedding." Christine sighed. "She'll probably be okay...but my dad...that's another story."

"We got married in a church. He'll be happy for us, Chrissy…."

"I hope so. I love you, Mikey….."


	73. Chapter 73 Drama

Michael-Vincent and Christine had planned the perfect meal for their parents. They wanted everything to be just right for their announcement.

The apple pie and ice cream had been passed around, and the coffee was poured. Finally the couple stood up. Christine grabbed Michael-Vincent's hand and cleared her throat.

"We have something to tell you. We, uh…" She inhaled deeply. "We got married while I was in Paris last month." They waited for their parents' response...

….and were somewhat disappointed to get very little reaction.

"Did you hear us?" Michael-Vincent was confused. "We got married."

Finally their parents looked up from their pie. "Congratulations, Sweetie." Angela smiled broadly. "We all knew that would happen if Christine went to Paris."

Brennan grinned. "That's why we suggested it."

"What?" Christine couldn't believe it.

"Michael-Vincent, your mother and I were married in a jail cell, remember?"

"Christine, after all the drama we went through with our wedding, your mother and I decided to send you to France and let nature take it's course."

"But we do want details, Sweetie…."

"Okay...we were at Eglise Saint-Sulpice to see the art..", Michael-Vincent began.

Christine interrupted. "And because it's in the 'da Vinci Code'."

"Yeah. Anyway, the Abbe' was telling us about one of the side altars. It's beautiful, and popular for weddings."

Christine laughed. "He thought we were already married, so when we said no, he offered to do it right then."

"We didn't have any witnesses, so he rounded up two nuns who were there for Mass. Boy, were they surprised!"

"I was, too!" Christine shook her head at the memory. "We were both wearing jeans and tee shirts."

The parents all laughed. Their children's wedding was as unique as their own weddings were.

"A toast", said Hodgins, raising a glass. "Congratulations, kids. We're all very happy for you."


	74. Chapter 74 Faded

Christine smoothed out the faded piece of newspaper and smiled. It was just like her dad to keep this scrap of paper. It fit right in with all the other stuff he'd accumulated over the years….bakelite phones, vinyl records, odd airplane parts….all sorts of things he held as valuable. She couldn't say anything or he'd launch into the story about that hoarder who fell through the apartment floor.

Looking closely, she realized why he'd kept it in his nightstand all these years. It was a picture of him with her mother. Both of them looked so young and happy. The headline read "Unlikely Partnership: Science and Crime Fighting." It was dated about two years before Christine had been born. The look on her dad's face showed how much he loved her mother.

"Mom, what's that?" Christine's son came in to see what she was doing.

"It's a picture of Pops and Grammy."

"Their clothes and hair look funny", said the boy.

"That was the style 45 years ago. Grammy was very pretty and Pops was very handsome."

"Is Pops gonna stay with us?"

"I don't think so. He misses Grammy very much. I think he's going to go live at the retirement center with her."

"Will she remember him? It makes Pops sad because she forgets lots of things."

"Your grandfather told me he can remember enough for both of them. You've heard him tell his stories. They did a lot of interesting things together, didn't they?"

"Yeah….Pops says between the two of them they did enough things to keep five normal people busy. Will we get to go visit them at the retirement center?"

Christine hugged her son. "Of course, Seeley. Pops made me promise. We'll go at least twice a week, okay?"

Seeley grinned a Boothy grin. "Okay!"


	75. Chapter 75 Pass

"What do you think of that pathologist from Australia? He's a hottie!" Angela took a bite of her sandwich. "He seems pleasant, too...better than that Canadian guy."

Brennan shook her head as she ate a bite of salad. "I find his presence unsettling. He made a throw at me."

"A throw?" Angela was confused.

"Yes. After spending all morning staring at my breasts and buttocks, he asked if I would meet him for lunch and research tomorrow afternoon. It was implied that the research would not be of the scholarly sort...something about the relationship between intellect and the number of orgasms a person can achieve in an hour."

"You mean he made a pass at you? Lord...does Booth know?"

"Of course not! Booth would kill him. I told Dr. Harwell that my husband would have no qualms about murdering him. But that's not the unsettling part."

"Seriously? There's more?"

Brennan smiled shyly. "I was somewhat pleased that Dr. Harwell made a pass at me but I don't know why…."

'You're not tired of Booth are you...because he's a great guy.. and he adores you!"

"No!….no...I would never jeopardize my relationship with Booth. However, I'm no longer a young woman, and I think it pleased me that a man might still be interested in me sexually...a man other than Booth….someone I don't know…."

"Sweetie, you have a rocking figure and a beautiful face. Lots of guys would be interested."

"It seems that I like to be reminded of that from time to time. Do you think that's wrong?"

"I don't think so. Everyone wants to be desirable. But I don't think you should tell Booth about that part either. I don't think he'd understand."

Brennan laughed. "You're probably right. Let's keep it a secret."

"Good idea, Sweetie."


	76. Chapter 76 Adventure

"Well, girls, what kind of adventures did you have today? Did you see any wild elephants or polar bears? Were there any pirates or astronauts?"

"Daddy, you're silly. Mommy and I went to the grocery store. There aren't any elephants there. We saw some firemen and their truck and that's all."

"Is that all you saw? You didn't hunt for wild tigers on the cereal aisle or chase monkeys around the parking lot? Did you look for treasure?"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea to tell Christine stories like that, Booth. We went to get food and came home. Christine, put the toilet paper in the bathrooms, please."

Booth was surprised by Bones' attitude. "I don't see any harm in telling her little stories like that from time to time. It might make going to the grocery store fun if she looks for pictures of animals on boxes and stuff like that. You know, encourage observation and word recognition. You said that was important for her language development."

"She seems to be developing adequately without indulging her in excess fantasy. Could you help me bring in the groceries, please? I need to go to the lab for a few hours and I'm running late."

Booth knew something wasn't right. Bones had never said anything about his little stories and jokes with Christine before today. She'd been happy when they left for the store. Something must have happened while they were gone. Christine provided the answer.

"Daddy? Mommy got in trouble."

"What happened?"

" She got a call from work so we had to hurry at the store. Then a policeman stopped her. He said Mommy was speeding and gave her a ticket. I think it made her mad."

"I see. Alright...I'll talk to Mommy. Christine...no more tattling, okay?"


	77. Chapter 77 Ill mannered

Brennan quietly unlocked the front door and walked through the living room. She'd lost track of time at the lab and it was later than she'd planned. She heard Booth snoring on the couch and tried to move past him quietly.

"Bones? It's kinda late. You haven't worked this late in a long time."

"I know. This is going to be a rough case and they need an ID quickly. The Maryland state police want to use our lab because of who's involved and they don't like waiting." She paused. "Booth, I need to tell you something."

"Oh, boy. Here we go again. What is it?"

"I'm sorry I was short tempered with you this afternoon. I wasn't annoyed with you. Other things caused me to be angry."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

She sat next to him. "We were in the grocery store, and I was about halfway through my list when Dr. Harwell called, demanding that I drop everything and come to the lab at once. I tried to explain to him that I couldn't come immediately but I said I would be there as soon as I could. He was abrupt, questioned my professionalism, and was quite ill-mannered. That made me irate. As we were leaving the store, Christine and I had a disagreement about talking to the firefighters, and then on the way home I received a rather expensive speeding ticket. When I got home, I vented my frustration on you. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I knew something had happened. Dr. Harwell's being a jerk? Have you told Cam?"

"No, I'll take care of it. The ticket fine is 275 dollars…."

"If we add up all my tickets I'm still ahead of you. Come on….time for bed."

She kissed him. "I love you, Booth."


	78. Chapter 78 Argument

He heard the front door slam, and knew something was wrong. "Hiya, Bones…"

She threw her coat and bag on the chair. "Leave me alone, Booth! I'm quite angry with you! I only came home to see the children and change clothes. I'm going back to the lab this evening and I'll probably stay all night."

"Wait, what? Why are you mad at me?"

"You called Cam to tell her that Dr. HarwelI was being rude and disrespectful to me, didn't you? I told you I'd take care of it! I can handle my work relationships by myself. I'm not a child, Booth!"

"I don't see the problem….I was just trying to help."

"Suppose I call Deputy Director Jamison and tell him I don't like the way Ms. Lundborg is treating you. Would you be embarrassed? That would be inappropriate, correct?"

"I guess...but that's different…"

"It's different because I'd be meddling, but you're trying to exert alpha male status over Dr. Harwell. He finds me attractive, and you're trying to find an acceptable way to demonstrate that I belong to you!"

"Whoa! He finds you attractive? He's been hitting on you?"

"Yes, he has. Are you surprised that he finds me attractive? Maybe he's being rude to me because I've frustrated him sexually by spurning his advances. However, my work relationships are none of your business!"

"It's my business if a guy's trying to steal my wife, or if he's making you so upset it affects your life outside of the lab! I still don't see why you're angry that I called Cam."

"It makes me look unprofessional, like I don't know how to interact with people. I don't have time for this. I'm going back to work!"

"Just like you...run away from an argument instead of working things out..."

"Good-bye, Booth!"


	79. Chapter 79 Store

"Do you really need to go to the grocery store, Bones, or are you trying to avoid me?"

"We have a family of four. Joey is in constant need of diapers. I really need to go to the store."

Booth moved to stand in front of her. "Look, I know you're still angry with me, and I understand why. I was wrong to call Cam after you said you'd take care of your problems at work. I'm sorry it happened. Okay? Can we talk about this and move on, please?"

She finally looked him in the eyes. "I understand your need to fix things, Booth. I'm still slightly annoyed with you, but that's not the only issue. I'm embarrassed about the way I spoke to you. I don't want you to think that I'd be interested in a sexual relationship with Dr. Harwell."

"You said you weren't interested, and I believe you. I know you love me. I want you to be happy, but sometimes I go overboard trying to make that happen. You were right. I stuck my nose where it didn't belong. So no more phone calls about Dr. Harwell or anyone else you work with, okay?"

"You definitely can't call about Dr. Harwell. He was dismissed from the Jeffersonian."

"Really? Why?"

"Apparently he was sexually harassing several female employees by making suggestive remarks. Your call to Cam alerted her that there was a problem with him, I think. She investigated and found that several women had complaints about his behavior. So, although it made me angry, it was probably a good thing you called."

"If I'd heard suggestive remarks aimed at my wife, I'd have been the angry one." Booth took her hand in his. " We're okay now?"

"Yes."

"Can we make up later?"

She kissed him. "I'm looking forward to it."


	80. Chapter 80 Lose

Set in Season One

"Seriously, Sweetie...what've you got to lose?" Angela took a sip of her drink as she bobbed to the music. "He's very cute. Broad shoulders...those dimples….that smile...He's gorgeous."

Brennan was exasperated with Angela. "He's a Philistine!"

"A what? I don't understand." The DJ had cranked up the volume on the music. Angela leaned toward Brennan. "He's a what?"

"He's arrogant, smug, and conceited. He thinks he knows everything."

Angela smiled. "Sounds like someone else I know."

"Very funny." Brennan scowled. "The man is ignorant and insufferable."

"Yeah, but he's still very cute. You're the one who's always saying 'it's only sex.' Why not indulge in a tumble with him? I bet it'd be wonderful. I can just imagine what's under that crisp white shirt….." Angela sighed with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Booth has a girlfriend, Angela."

"I bet you could fix that, Sweetie. You just need to flirt. You know...show off your figure a bit and bat your eyelashes…."

Brennan took another drink of her beer, trying to decide how to explain things to Angela. "I'm a female scientist in a traditionally male field. I don't want to jeopardize my standing as a respected forensic anthropologist for a one night stand with an FBI agent. I have professional standards to uphold."

"With all due respect, Brennan, that's garbage, and you know it. You don't want to indulge because you might like it more than you want to, and you want to keep people from getting too close. But if you're not interested, I'm gonna go for it. I wanna take a ride on the gorgeous train…."

Brennan scowled, but said, "Be my guest."

"Don't worry, Sweetie." Angela laughed. "I'll stay away from your man."

"He's not my man, Angela!"

"Maybe not now, but he will be some day…"


	81. Chapter 81 Paper

Set between Seasons 6 and 7

Booth knew he'd regret what he said as soon as he said it. He tried in vain to explain what he meant before they left for work, but Bones was having none of it. He decided to try again.

"Bones, look...I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it. I was just irritated...come on….." He decided to throw in a charm smile for good measure.

"I'm not going to discuss this with you on the way to work, Booth. I'd rather wait until I'm no longer angry."

"What is there to be angry about? It was just a little slip of the tongue."

"It was a big slip of the tongue, but I don't want to argue about it."

"You're not being rational, Bones. You know that? I can't believe you're holding a grudge over a simple mistake."

"A simple mistake? As I recall, you started this argument with your ridiculous notions. I'm an adult, Booth. I lived by myself for many years. I know how to put toilet paper on the holder. I don't need to be compared to Hannah."

"All I said was that even Hannah knew how to put the paper correctly on the rack."

"I fail to see what difference it makes as long as the paper is available."

"It rolls better overhand. But you're right. It doesn't make difference, really."

"Why did you compare me to Hannah?"

"I was joking. You know that."

"No, I don't. However, I suppose it would be funny if I compared you to Sully. He never cared about such things."

"Because he lives on a boat! Come on. A little smile?"

"Yes, I can smile, because I'm thinking about Sully… and his gluteus maximus…"

Booth was spluttering. "What? Why would you say that?"

Brennan laughed. "Just a slip of the tongue, I guess…"


	82. Chapter 82 Memory

"You've been quiet today, Bones. Something on your mind?"

"I guess this weather has put me in a pensive mood. I've been thinking about important rainy days in my life."

"Important rainy days?"

Brennan sighed. It was hard to explain. "Like outside the pool hall when we kissed for the first time. It was raining. I have fond memories of that moment. I think that qualifies as an important day."

"Yeah." Booth smiled thinking about it. "Very important."

Brennan hesitated a minute. "I was also thinking about how you followed me that rainy night when we were investigating the doctor's death. You kept me from getting hit by a car."

Booth stared into his coffee cup. "I really don't like to remember that night. It's too painful to think about it."

"Why? You saved my life. I wasn't paying attention and would've been killed."

"Bones…." He hardly knew how to begin. "When you told me that you loved me, and I had to tell you that I was committed to being with Hannah, it was the most heart crushing thing I'd ever done. I knew how much I'd hurt you, and it tore me up inside to make you cry like that."

"That evening was important to me because I admitted my feelings to you, even though I knew I'd probably be hurt by doing so. You're a good man, Booth. Part of me wanted you to leave Hannah for me, but I knew in my heart you wouldn't do that. I was willing to take that risk because I knew I had grown and would be able to accept whatever happened. I was becoming strong enough to really love someone.

Booth smiled. "And that someone is me. Things worked out for the best, right?"

"Yes." She kissed him. " Things worked out very well."


	83. Chapter 83 Understand

A/N: Even though Teddy is mentioned, this is set in the present time.

Brennan brought Booth a Scotch and curled up next to him on the couch. "Did you visit Teddy's grave today?"

Booth looked at her with mild surprise. "I didn't think you'd remember that anniversary was today. Yeah, I went out to see him...to talk to him. To tell him thanks."

"I remembered about Teddy because of the Gravedigger kidnapping you. But I don't understand. Even if Teddy could hear you, why would you thank him?

"I don't think I can explain it right so you can understand…"

"I know it's important to you. That's enough for me."

Booth shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I know you think that I saw Teddy because the conditions on that ship made me see things, right?"

She nodded. "The chemicals from the materials on the ship and lack of oxygen in addition to your tumor impaired your brain function."

"I know that's the logical, rational explanation, but maybe there's another explanation. I think Teddy was sent as some sort of guardian angel. I know you don't believe in that sort of thing, but I do. Anyway, no matter what caused Teddy to show up, he helped me get off the ship, and now I have a great life and family."

"Booth...that makes no sense. You were hallucinating…"

"If I was hallucinating, why would I see Teddy? I didn't want to see him. I felt responsible for his death. If I was having an hallucination, I think I'd see someone I love...like you. I think God sent Teddy to help me."

Brennan put her head on his shoulder. "You're right, Booth. I don't understand. I don't believe in God, angels or ghosts, but I know from reading your report that something helped you survive. I can't explain it, but whatever what it was, I'm thankful, too."


	84. Chapter 84 Morose

Morose

"Dr. Brennan, do you have a minute?" Cam stood in the doorway of Brennan's office. "Oh, hi, Hodgins. I need to talk to you, too."

"I believe I have time to talk now, Dr. Saroyan. How can I help you?" Brennan looked up from her computer.

"I got an email from Fisher. Remember him? He was wondering if we could supply him with some letters of recommendation. He's applying for a forensic anthropology position in Las Vegas."

Hodgins laughed. "It's hard to imagine that morose bastard living in America's playground. I mean, I know he likes to stay up all night, but still…"

Cam put on her kindergarten teacher face. "You know it isn't his fault that he's depressed. He said he's been working with the psychology department at UNLV on some experimental treatments involving vitamin replacement, sun exposure, and drug therapy. He says he feels great."

Hodgins snorted. "Great is sort of a relative term. He could feel great and still be depressing."

"Nevertheless", said Brennan, "when he felt well his work was exceptional. Remember how he was able to figure how far the office manager fell down the elevator shaft? I noticed his leadership skills when the interns were identifying those unknown remains from limbo. Hodgins, he was very empathetic when you discovered you had a brother with a mental illness. If Fisher is able to manage his depression, I would see no problem in recommending him for a position. What do you think, Cam?"

"It sounds like you've already written your letter, Dr. Brennan. Yes, I think I could recommend him also. You can make up your own mind, Dr. Hodgins. He said he would like the letters sent directly to the organization, so if you write a letter, send it to me, and I'll forward it. Thanks, guys."


	85. Chapter 85 Pissed

"Where's Booth? I thought I heard him out here." Brennan stood in her office door.

Angela and Cam looked at each other, obviously trying not to laugh. "He's in the restroom, I think", said Cam. "He may be a while."

"That's odd….why is Hodgins running across the lab?" Brennan pointed as Hodgins ran into his office and locked the door.

Wendell appeared, covered with a shower cap and wearing an apron. "Oh…Dr. B...yeah...that explosion wasn't really anything bad…"

"Explosion? Booth was in an explosion?"

Wendell explained. "It was just a little chemical explosion. No poisons but there was a fairly violent oxidation reaction. Agent Booth decided to watch so he could testify about it if he had to. He was wearing an apron so his suit's okay."

Brennan was confused. "What's the problem, then?"

Wendell grimaced. "It's his hair."

Brennan was shocked. "Booth's hair was damaged? Oh my God...no wonder Hodgins is hiding. Why aren't you with Hodgins? Aren't you worried?"

"Hodgins set off the reaction early and Booth was pretty close to it. Booth's pissed at him, not me. I'm pretty sure that Booth's hair got burned in front. He'll probably need a trim to even it out...it's going to be really short and spiky for a while, I think."

"HODGINS!" Booth roared, charging out of the restroom. His eyebrows and hair in front were singed and no amount of combing was going to hide it..

Hodgins stood in the doorway of his office laughing. "Dude...I told you to wear the cap but you didn't want to mess up your hair, remember? Don't worry, Booth. It'll grow back."

The fact that everyone was laughing about the way he looked did nothing to ease Booth's mood. " You better not let me catch you out of your office, Bug Boy."


	86. Chapter 86 Stranded

"So, Brennan….let's play a game." Angela took a sip of her margarita as they sat by the pool. "If you were stranded on a desert island, and you could be with anyone other than your family, who would you choose?"

Brennan shook her head and laughed. "That's a ridiculous question. The idea of being stranded on a desert island in this day and age is absurd." She swirled her drink around. "Why did you call this a game? There's nothing to win."

Angela rolled her eyes and sighed. "Can you just humor me? I can't decide if I'd want George Clooney or Chris Pine. They're both hot….Clooney is a little too old, I think…."

"Oh, I see...we're expressing our sexual fantasies. I think Chris Pine is a nice looking man, but I also admire Benedict Cumberbatch. He seems very intelligent. I think we could have a good conversation. However, to be practical….I'd choose a boat builder."

"A boat builder? I give up. The point of the game is to pretend you're getting away from civilization with the hunk of your dreams."

"Booth is the hunk of my dreams, Angela….his physicality is remarkable, and he keeps me satisfied…." Brennan wore a sly smile….."very, very satisfied." She took a sip of her drink and sighed happily. "Don't you feel that way about Hodgins?"

"Yeah, I do, but it's nice to indulge in fantasy from time to time. It keeps my imagination working to think about the answers to random questions like that. It helps me paint. How do you keep your imagination working so you can write?"

"Booth and I indulge in role play from time to time. He has an active imagination. Have I told you about our bathtub games?"

Angela smiled. "Yeah...but tell me about them again…."


	87. Chapter 87 Rescue

Dr. Temperance Brennan was an intelligent, independent woman. She was in charge of her own life, and she rarely, if ever, needed assistance from anyone. She'd made it clear when she began to work with Agent Booth: she wouldn't stand for being treated like a damsel in distress.

She laughed to herself as she lay on her office floor, surrounded by boxes of Egyptian vases. Her low center of gravity had caused her to lose her balance and had also prevented her from getting up. So much for not being treated like a damsel in distress. Like it or not, she'd have to wait for Booth to rescue her from this predicament.

"Well, Baby, your daddy should be here soon." Brennan stroked her abdomen. "He's probably driving at an excessive rate of speed to get here so he can help us up off the floor. Once he gets over his panic, he'll probably think it's quite funny and remind me of it several times over the next few years. I guess since you and I are not injured, it is funny, isn't it?"

Brennan thought about how many times Booth had rescued her, and not just from dangerous situations. He'd rescued her from a life of loneliness. He'd kept her safe both physically and emotionally.

"You're very fortunate to have a wonderful man for your father, Baby. He's so excited to meet you. He says it's like waiting for Christmas morning. He tends to be emotional instead of logical, but that's what will make him a good father." Brennan tried to shift a little to become more comfortable, but it wasn't working.

"BONES! BONES! Where are you?"

"Here, Booth. I'm here. We're fine. I'm just awkward. I lost my balance."

"You sure you're okay? And the baby?"

"Yes, I'm sure…"

"Good. Picture time…."

"Booth!"


	88. Chapter 88 Cough

"I don't like it when Max says he has a surprise for us, Bones." They were meeting Max for dinner.

"It makes me somewhat nervous, also...there he is".

Sitting with Max was an attractive woman who appeared to be in her fifties. "Tempe...this is Giselle LeClerc. Giselle...my daughter Temperance and her husband Seeley Booth."

Brennan shook Giselle's hand. "Oh yes...I remember you...you were my father's physical therapist."

Max laughed. "She's helping me with a different kind of therapy now. Giselle is my girlfriend."

Brennan turned to Giselle, saying, "it's a good thing you're younger than my father. He has quite a strong libido for a man his age." Brennan heard Booth's quiet cough and saw the quick shake of his head. "I apologize. Perhaps this isn't appropriate dinner conversation."

Smiling, Giselle said, "No worries. I find Max's libido to be ...inspiring, right sweetheart?" Max just grinned.

Eager to move the conversation along, Booth interrupted. "So what's the big surprise, Max?"

"Well…..Giselle and getting married Labor Day weekend. We want to make sure you' ll be there. Russ is bringing his family…"

"And my children will be flying in from Montreal with their families."

Booth shook Max's hand. "Congratulations, Max. That's great!"

"Thanks, Booth. We'll live in the DC area so we can still help with the grandkids."

Giselle gently placed her hand on Brennan's arm. "Temperance, Max has told me how much you miss your mother. I would never presume to take her place, or even to be your step-mother. However, it is my sincere hope that when we know each other better, we can be friends."

Brennan paused, thinking things over. Max getting married? That was a real surprise. She smiled. "Thank you Giselle. I'm looking forward to our new friendship."


	89. Chapter 89 Dive

"Looking sharp, Dad. Let me help you with your tie."

"That's enough, Russ. I can dress myself. Tempe!", said Max as she knocked on the door. "Come in. You look beautiful. Russ, can you give us a minute? I want to talk to Tempe alone."

"Sure." Russ gave his sister an exasperated look as he stepped out. He whispered to her, "Not too long. It's almost time."

"You look nice in your tuxedo, Dad. Are you ready to take a dive?"

"What?"

"You know...jump in...start something new.

"You mean take the plunge. Yeah, I'm ready to go. I'm excited about this new part of my life. I'm lucky I found Giselle when I did, and I'm lucky she wants to marry me. She knows all about my past, and loves me anyway."

"That's wonderful, Dad. I'm happy about your marriage."

"Are you really? Because I know how awkward all of this must be for you. I'll never forget your mother, you know. She'll always be the love of my life. I wasn't looking for a relationship when I met Giselle, but it seems natural to be with her. She even sort of trusts me." Max laughed but he was nervous, watching Brennan's reaction.

"You've been alone for a long time. I'm glad you found someone you can share your life with. You told me once that if I found someone I could trust I should hang on to him. I'm assuming that's the type of relationship you have with Giselle. It seems to be unusual to have that sort of relationship even once, but you'll get to have it twice."

Russ poked his head in. "Show time."

"We're on the way", said Max. He gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Honey."

"You're welcome, Dad. Ready?"


	90. Chapter 90 Lake

Brennan came in with the groceries. "Booth, why is there a lake in the middle of the kitchen floor?"

Booth was lying on the floor, with his head under the kitchen sink. "I think you're exaggerating about the amount of water. That's a puddle."

"There is water 7 centimeters deep over at least 2 meters of the floor."

"See, I told you it wasn't that much. I'm trying to fix the garbage disposal. It detached from the drain in the sink."

"How does that make a lake in the kitchen?"

"I kind of forgot to disconnect the water before I disconnected the pipe. But I'll clean it all up."

"Are you sure you know how to fix the disposal? Where's your idiot plumber book?"

"I lent my plumbing book to Wendell so he can work on their house. Seriously, this is easy."

"Why don't you call a plumber? I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to be down there on your back."

"Do you know how much a plumber would charge to come out on a Saturday morning? 200 bucks just to show up. I can fix it myself for a lot less. Besides, guys like to fix stuff in their own houses, remember? It makes us feel one with the Universe."

"If all the water damages the floor and you hurt your back it will be more than 200 dollars and we'll still have a broken disposal. Remember when we tried to fix the plumbing in your apartment?"

"Yeah, but that place was old. Anyway, while you've been fretting about it, I've fixed the problem. The disposal is back where it's supposed to be." Booth flipped the disposal switch and turned on the faucet. Water sprayed everywhere, soaking him to the skin.

Brennan laughed. "I'll call the plumber."


	91. Chapter 91 plunge

Booth was passing through the breakfast room when he heard his wife muttering to herself in the kitchen. He watched as she got out a large knife and plunged it several times into a large watermelon on the counter.

"That melon must have made you really mad for you to stab it like that. Do you ever get that mad at me? Whoa….look out there." He had surprised her and she turned with the knife raised in her hand.

"Oh, Booth….sorry." She grimaced. "I was concentrating on what I was doing. I didn't hear you come in."

"Why are you murdering that poor melon, Bones?"

She sighed. "I guess I'm still angry about work today and I was taking out my frustrations on it. Dr. Wells is insufferable…."

"Uh oh. What did he do this time?"

Brennan slammed the knife on the counter. "He corrected me loudly in front of a group of visiting scientists! He said the head wound wasn't the cause of death and pointed out a nick on the clavicle that would have transected the subclavian artery!"

"Let me guess." Booth grinned. "The worst part was that he was correct.'

"Yes! He was correct, and then he gloated! It was appalling behavior! I'm baffled as to why Cam keeps him on staff."

"Well, it isn't a bad thing for him to point out errors, is it? It's just the way he did it, right?"

"I suppose so. Maybe I can demonstrate the correct way to point out errors so he can be less abrasive."

"Okay….right. I'm sure you can do that. Is the watermelon ready?"

"Booth...you do think I can help Dr. Wells be less abrasive, right?"

He nodded. "I'm sure you'll be a good example for him, Bones."

"I hope so. Here's the watermelon…"


	92. Chapter 92 Ridiculous

Brennan was incredulous. "That's impossible. There are too many variables to consider. How could you know that?"

Booth shrugged. "I just do. I can't explain it."

"It's a ridiculous notion."

"I don't care." Booth grinned. "I like ridiculous notions sometimes."

"The odds are against it. You're quite likely to fail at it. Doesn't that bother you?" Brennan just couldn't grasp what Booth was talking about.

"I'm not gonna fail. I'm gonna love you forever, no matter how long that is, or at least for the rest of my life." He smiled. "And you can't talk me out of it."

"Booth….you can't be sure of that. What if I ran off with another man?"

"I'm sure you won't do that...even if you did, I'd be angry, but I'd still love you. I have faith in us….we belong together. We always have. It just took us some time to figure that out."

"No one can predict the future, Booth. You may decide I'm unattractive, or I may become seriously ill and you may not want me any more."

Booth shook his head. "Really? How can you say that, Bones? Don't you trust me any more than that? Besides….you're the most beautiful woman I've ever known, remember?"

"You said that in a post-coital haze. You might change your mind when I'm wrinkled and gray."

"I'll be wrinkled and gray, too, and I'll still be thankful that I have you as my wife. So deal with it. I'm gonna love you forever, and you can't talk me out of it."

"Even if you don't know how long that is?"

Booth took Brennan in his arms. "Absolutely. I'm looking forward to it being a long, long time."

"I believe you, Booth." She smiled and kissed him. "I hope forever is a very long time."


	93. Chapter 93 Flight

Temperance Brennan thought of herself as a logical, practical woman. She was intelligent, rational, and refrained from being overly emotional. Except for her works of fiction, she wasn't given to flights of fancy. She was a woman rooted in reality.

She'd never understood why weddings were considered to be so important in a woman's life. A wedding was merely a celebration that occurred when people entered a binding social contract. Paying a lot of money to allow guests to participate in such an event seemed to be ridiculous.

But Booth wanted a wedding, and she loved Booth, so they were going to have a wedding….at least until the church burned. She was disappointed, but she knew Booth would be more upset. So when Angela decided to make their wedding happen, and Booth agreed, she was pleased that he would be happy. She knew she didn't really need to have a wedding to prove her commitment. It was all for Booth.

Brennan had been busy getting ready. Angela had helped her and her hair, makeup and nails were done. It was time to get dressed. Then the magic occurred. The little girl who had saved a picture of a dream dress appeared. Brennan put on her wedding dress and looked in the mirror. It was then she realized why weddings were so wonderful. She was going to be a bride. She was glowing. She was going to marry a man who loved her more than his own life. She had friends and family present to see how happy she was, and to help her celebrate that happiness. She never felt more beautiful than she did at that moment.

Practicality and logic gave way to romance and emotion. It was Brennan's wedding day, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it.


	94. Chapter 94 Hallucinate

"Dr. Brennan? I'm Dr. Villarreal, the ER physician. I've called in our gastroenterologist. Based on the white blood count, nausea, and pain, we believe your husband is experiencing appendicitis. If Dr. Bloom confirms the diagnosis, she'll probably recommend that your husband have surgery immediately."

Brennan exhaled slowly. Appendicitis would explain a lot of Booth's symptoms. He'd had extreme pain in his right side and had run a high fever. He said he could tough it out, but finding him on the bathroom floor writhing in pain told her he needed immediate help. However, pain wasn't the only problem.

"Dr. Villarreal, I do need to ask one question. Why would my husband hallucinate? That's not a normal symptom of appendicitis, is it?"

"Some people experience febrile hallucinations when their temperature is elevated. Since his fever was 105 degrees when you arrived here he could've experienced them. Was he hallucinating?"

"Well, he was going to drive to the ER in Antarctica, he said he saw Santa Claus, he was talking about arresting a singing frog, and he thought he was John Wayne leading the cavalry, all in the 15 minutes it took us to drive from our house to here. There were also other vague ramblings about a hockey player named Luc Robitaille. My husband has hallucinated about him in the past."

"I understand." Dr. Villarreal looked at her laptop screen. "I see that when your husband had the brain tumor he hallucinated, but I don't think the things he has experienced today are related. I think they're caused by his fever. We're working now to reduce his fever and I think that will put an end to these disturbances. Your husband's been asking for you. I'll take you back to see him."

"Thank you."

Brennan entered Booth's cubicle. "Hiya, Bones! Ready to go to Mars?"


	95. Chapter 95 Sport

"Booth, I need to tell you something…."

"Jesus….again? I hate that…"

"It isn't anything bad, but it'll involve some of your time."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Brennan glared at him. He was particularly irritable this morning. He'd indulged in too much late night hockey on television.

"A professor from Georgetown called me. He wants me to co-teach a class on the anatomy and physiology of the musculo-skeletal system. The university is offering the class as graduate credit for professional sports trainers."

Booth yawned. The Flyers vs. the Kings had been the late game. "So, how does this involve me?"

"I'll need you to be available to pick up Christine and Hank on certain days."

"No problem. Can I get back to my crossword?"

Now Brennan was really annoyed with him. "Yes. I see you're too busy to hear about the field trips we'll be taking to different stadiums and arenas around town, where we'll work with famous athletes to prevent injuries."

"Wait….What? You're going to be working on professional athletes? And high profile college athletes? At their stadiums? Like the Capitals and the Nationals? Wow! That sounds like fun. Maybe I could go with you sometimes…."

"Perhaps, if you're not too busy with your crossword or too tired from snoring while the West Coast hockey game is on." She glared at him again. "I think you're too irritable to take anywhere."

Booth pulled out his best atomic charm smile. "C'mon...you know I was teasing you by pretending not to be interested, right? It sounds fascinating…"

Brennan rolled her eyes at him. "Save the charm smile for another time."

"Hey, maybe I can chaperone those field trips."

""My students will be adults, Booth."

"Please?" He was using sad puppy eyes.

"I don't know…..we'll see…"

"Great! Thanks, Bones!"


	96. Chapter 96 Crawl

It was late. Brennan had been checking some terminology for her book. Muscles weren't as interesting as bones, and concentrating on them could be difficult. Tonight it was harder than usual. She kept thinking about how good Booth had looked today in his French blue shirt.

Finally she decided to study using a different method. She undressed and crawled naked under the covers. Booth was snoring softly as she began to run her hands over his shoulders, where the trapezius muscles met the deltoids at the top of his arm. She ran her palms down toward the biceps and triceps in his arms as he stirred slightly. Then she reached around to his chest, caressing the latissimus dorsi. As she moved her hands across his pectoralis majors he stirred again, groaning in his sleep.

She gently tickled her fingers across the rectus abdominus and external oblique toward the inguinal crease of his groin and down the pectineus and adductor longus along his inner thigh. By now, he was wide awake as she caressed each muscle and outlined their insertion to the bone with her fingertip.

"Oh, God, Bones…" he panted, "what are you doing? It's making me crazy…" He kissed her passionately.

"I needed to study the names of muscles.", she said, breathless from his kiss. "Pictures in books are not as good as live specimens", she said, kissing him again, "and you have excellent muscle definition. I especially admire your gluteus maximus." She grabbed his gluteus and squeezed gently.

"So...I'm an anatomy lesson?", he asked as he kissed her neck. "I think you need to study me more closely. C'mere…" He pulled onto his chest. "What are these called?"

She giggled. "Pecs."

"Full name?"

"Pectoralis major and minor."

"Very good work. You get an A on your lesson. Now….how about some extra credit?"


	97. Chapter 97 Murder

"Good morning, D.C. This is Ann Jernigan, here with our special guest: forensic anthropologist and mystery writer Dr. Temperance Brennan. Good morning, Dr. Brennan."

"Good morning, Ann."

" Your latest book _Bad to the Bone_ has received rave reviews and has already made several bestseller lists. Would you give us a brief synopsis?"

"Kathy and Andy are investigating a series of murders related to the theft of Native American artifacts in the Four Corners region."

"It sounds fascinating. I'm curious about the process that brought you into writing novels. Could you explain where your inspiration came from?"

"I think a lot of people wonder if they could commit a perfect murder. I was curious to see if I could write a perfect murder mystery, and if my expertise would provide a satisfactory background for a story. I also wanted to enlighten the general populace about the role forensics plays in solving crimes."

"I see. Well, it appears that you've been successful in enlightening the general populace. Isn't it true that all of your novels have been best sellers? And isn't also true that part of the popularity of the books is because of the relationship you've depicted between Kathy and Andy?"

"Yes, all of my books have been best sellers. I think the science is the most important part of the story, but I understand that the relationships between characters are important to readers, also."

"Agent Andy Lister is based on your husband, correct? I'm sure he provides a lot of technical expertise."

"Andy Lister is loosely based on my husband. My husband provides some technical expertise and helps me occasionally with other parts of the novels…..including some of the humor and, of course, the explicit sex scenes…"

" Um, right. Thank you, Dr. Brennan. _Bad to the Bone…_ in stores now."


	98. Chapter 98 Taste

"That's interesting." Brennan was looking at one of her scientific journals as she sat propped up on her pillows.

"What's interesting?" Booth was brushing his teeth.

You never actually met Peter, did you? The physicist I was seeing when we worked our first case?"

"You mean the guy who couldn't tie his own shoes? No, but I remember you talking about him. Why?"

"He's secured a contract to work on a drone project for the US Air Force. It's quite prestigious and should be very profitable."

"What good is it to be that smart if you don't have any common sense? I'm telling you, Bones, you sure had lousy taste in men. Let's see…. Pete the Doofus and David the Cult Leader. Michael Stires was a jerk. Sully was okay, I guess, except he never could decide what he wanted to do. And don't get me started on Mark the welder and Jason the botanist…."

"If I had such horrible taste in men, how did I end up with you? I was attracted to you when we started working together, but you kept saying I had bad taste in men. It was very confusing. Logically, wouldn't that mean you were a poor choice also?"

Booth sat on the side of the bed, wearing a cocky grin. "I'd like to think that I helped you raise your standards. Working with me gave you an example of what to look for in a guy, right?"

"I don't know." Brennan smiled demurely. "I should do research to define the characteristics that make you better than the other men I dated. I'm not sure what proof I have that you're actually a better choice than they were, other than your word."

"I see." Booth turned off the lamp and embraced his wife. "I'll give you all the proof you need…."


	99. Chapter 99 Sick

_A/N: this was written this Summer before the present Hodgins story arc. No disrespect intended..._

"Booth, it's me. I'm going to be late tonight. I came to the emergency room with Angela. An ambulance brought Hodgins in a few minutes ago."

"Whoa, is he alright? What happened? I'm on the way home. Do you need me to come by the hospital?"

"You don't have to come by, although you may need to pick up Michael-Vincent from school. Hodgins inhaled some unknown substance and seems to be having a reaction to it."

"Reaction? Did it make him sick? Is he having trouble breathing? That sounds scary. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. The fumes he inhaled were volatile gases in the bottom of a tank. He went down to take a sample without wearing a gas mask, and he was almost overcome, but the firefighters at the scene were able to get him out quickly. However, he does seem to be intoxicated from exposure to the fumes."

"Sounds like he had a close call. Wait a minute...he got high on chemical fumes? Is he going to be okay?"

"He got high in a manner very similar to that of people purposefully inhaling fumes, but he seems better right now. The ER doctors are giving him oxygen, and they want to keep him overnight for observation, but they say he should be fine. They'll check him out for permanent lung damage, but the doctor treating him said he didn't expect that to occur.

"So maybe Hodgins finally learns his lesson about breathing chemicals without a mask, right?"

"I hope so. Angela seems to be quite annoyed with him. You don't have to pick up Michael-Vincent. Angela's dad is taking care of him. I'll be home as soon as they get Hodgins in a room."

"Okay. Bye." Booth shook his head. The smartest guys could do the dumbest things….


	100. Chapter 100 Deaf

"That is one massive shiner!" Hodgins stepped closer to get a good look. "Must have been some big guy."

Wendell blushed. "Can we just get to work?"

'Not until I hear what happened…"

"Seriously?"

"Yep. Let's hear it."

"Okay, it's like this. Dr. B and I went to watch Booth play hockey last night. Booth's team won. After the game the team decided to go celebrate, and Dr. B and I went, too."

"We're at this sports bar, and the Capitals/Flyers game is on. The place was pretty crowded with Capitals fans, including the guys from the team Booth had just played. Well, the Flyers scored twice in 5 minutes. Booth had drank a couple of rounds by then, so he starts singing the Flyers fight song."

Hodgins interrupted. "Wait...hockey teams have fight songs? And Booth was singing?"

Wendell shook his head. "l think maybe Booth made up the song. He's completely tone deaf anyway so who knows what it was supposed to sound like."

"True…"

"The guys from the other team start giving Booth a hard time about what his singing sounds like. Booth says, 'My wife is the smartest woman in the world, and she thinks I sing just fine.' Of course, Dr. B says, 'Yes, I am quite intelligent.'. She'd had a few rounds, too, by this time."

The guy next to me says 'she can't be too smart if she thinks you can sing' and the other one says 'she can't be too smart since she married you.' It was too much for Dr. B. So she took a swing...but she missed the guy standing next to me, and popped me in the eye instead."

"So you got that black eye from Dr. Brennan? Dude... Remind me never to get on her bad side!"


	101. Chapter 101 Ill

_A/N: This story was written this summer before the present Hodgins story arc. No disrespect intended..._

The Annual Safety Protocol Review of Procedures was in progress. All staff were required to attend yearly training as a condition of their employment. OSHA had provided a presenter with an annoying monotone, which she used to read powerpoint slides to the assembled scientists.

The presenter spent 3 hours reading slides about evacuation in case of fire or flood. She explained what to do in case of tornado or earthquake. None of the information had changed since last year's presentation. The staff was getting restless, but still the presenter droned on.

Finally, she came to the section about what to do in case of explosions, and everyone sat up to listen. Thanks to Dr. Hodgins, explosions were commonplace at the lab, but there were several different protocols depending on the type of explosion. After the presenter finished that section she moved to the section about poisonous gases.

"Does anyone know what problems can result in the inhalation of poisonous gases?"

The staff all turned to look at Hodgins. "Dr. Hodgins?"

"Blacking out, upper respiratory illness or permanent lung damage, burns to the sinus cavity, and death. What?" He looked at everyone else. "I really do know that, but curiosity sometimes gets the best of me."

Brennan turned to look at Hodgins. "I think we would all be quite upset if you permanently injured yourself or died because you didn't follow correct protocol." Everyone nodded. "However, I'm upset with you now because your consistent disregard of protocol is the reason we have to sit through these ridiculous meetings." She turned to the presenter. "Please continue so we can complete this ridiculous meeting before lunch."

Hodgins approached Cam later. "Am I really the cause of those safety meetings?"

She nodded. "I think you're who they had in mind when they added the requirement, Dr. Hodgins."

"Cool…"


	102. Chapter 102 Drop

Booth would be angry, but Brennan knew it had to be done. "Have you talked to Father Jim about grief counseling?"

"Bones, why do you have to keep bringing that up? Just drop it, okay? I'm fine. Just drop it."

"I can't drop it, Booth. You're making me angry because you don't want to face this problem. You're being quite selfish."

"Selfish!? God damn it! What do you want from me? Leave me the hell alone!" He stormed out of the room.

Brennan followed him, trying to maintain control. Her voice was shaky as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Booth, because I love you very much, when you experience pain, I also experience pain. It's not rational, but it's true. You can do nothing to change what happened to Sweets, but you still dwell on it. When you continue to torture yourself over his death, you are hurting me as well. I'm concerned that this continued pain will be detrimental to our relationship."

Her logic, as usual, was undeniable. Booth was stunned. Gently, he took her hand. "Bones, I would never do anything to hurt you…"

"Not deliberately, but that's what has occurred. While I don't like psychology, I do understand that talking to another person can ease emotional pain. I don't think that person can be me in this situation. You need to find someone else to talk to. Please promise me you'll do so. I don't want this continued pain to come between us any longer. Please take care of this soon so we can move past this together."

Bone wiped tears from his eyes and sighed. "I'll talk to someone, Bones, I promise. I'm so tired of carrying this pain around. I'm sorry I was angry...you know I love you."

"I know. I love you, too."


	103. Chapter 103 Blizzard

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to call the paramedics." Brennan stood looking down at Booth sprawled on the floor. "What were you thinking, Booth?"

"We were playing horsey. All dads give their kids horsey rides. It's just what they do."

"I feel sure that most dads with thoracic and lumbar disc damage like yours are able to find a way to play horsey without having their children jump on their backs."

"Ok, whatever. Don't call an ambulance. I'm going to get myself up here in a minute. I'm just resting."

"Did you ever go back for the cortisone injection the doctor recommended? That might've helped."

"I don't need any shot. Maybe you can just give me one of those adjustments like you used to do."

"Actually, I think Thai massage will work better. Remember the relief you felt when I gave you Thai massage while we were trapped in that elevator car during the blizzard? It was quite effective. Of course, I think that was partially because you were somewhat sexually stimulated."

"I was not stimulated! I was just agitated about being stuck. Are you going to leave me down here all day or what?"

"Do you want an adjustment or a massage?"

"Massage, I guess."

"Okay. Let me just put my hand on your thigh like this, and you push with your knee against my chest. I'm going to activate some pressure points in the groin to relax the nerves in your back. There. Push against me…."

"Come to think of it, maybe I was a little stimulated...OUCH….not that it does me much good since my back hurts so bad….WATCH IT….oh, wow….much better….yeah, that's great. Nice. Now….can we go back to the part about me being sexually stimulated? Maybe you can help me fix that, too…."


	104. Chapter 104 Finger

Booth paced in the small room as Brennan waited on the exam table. He stopped and drummed his fingers on the counter. "What's taking so long?" He was clearly agitated.

Brennan gave him a serene smile. "Perhaps it's a good thing you didn't come with me last time I had an appointment like this. You would've made me quite nervous."

Booth gave his wife a sheepish grin. "You know I don't like to wait. I'm just excited that I get to be here for the ultrasound."

"Does our child's gender make any difference to you?"

"Of course not. But it's a great feeling…. like finally getting in on a big secret."

The technician came in and began the procedure. "Dr. Tran wants me to check the size of the fetus so we can estimate your due date. She thinks you might be further along than you suspect. If I can find the gender of the child, do you want to know?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes. However, I don't think I'm far enough into the pregnancy for you to do so."

The sonographer gave them a knowing smile as she scanned Brennan's abdomen. "Here's the heartbeat…."

Booth interrupted. "The baby's sucking his thumb!"

The technician moved the scanner. "Come on, baby...cooperate….Well, he's definitely not shy. It looks like a boy…"

Brennan smiled indulgently at Booth as he expressed his delight, shaking the technician's hand. She pointed at the monitor. "It appears that our son is as proud of his penis as you are of yours, Booth. Look how he's facing us."

"BONES!" Booth glared at her, blushing furiously.

The sonographer laughed. "I'll send these images to Dr. Tran. Congratulations."

They sat in the room a few minutes, just smiling at each other. "We have a son, Booth."

He kissed her. "We have a son, Bones."


	105. Chapter 105 Parched

Temperance Brennan stood on the summit, looking down over the parched landscape that made up the Four Corners region. It was good to be back at Mesa Verde. She had done archaeological work there during a couple of summers while she was in college. At first she thought it would be a waste of time for an anthropologist to work on archaeological sites, but over time she noticed the links between the two sciences and found she enjoyed the work.

Booth had insisted that she come to the workshop offered by the University of New Mexico... three weeks during the summer devoted to learning about the Anasazi and the present day Pueblo dwellers that would provide background for one of her books. Kathy and Andy would soon be solving a case involving a murder and the disappearance of ancient Native American artifacts. She smiled. Booth knew that one way to keep his wife happy was to insist that she go on small scale expeditions to keep her from getting dragged down by all the murder and mayhem back in her real world.

She looked out over the vista below, considering how lucky she was. Booth loved her so much that he wanted her to be free to do whatever she wanted to do. He'd never force her to be someone she wasn't. He respected her intelligence and her desire to better herself. She would come home with her mind refreshed and invigorated. It was a marvelous gift...his selfless love….more than she had ever believed she could receive from anyone.

She missed her children and sleeping in her own bed next to her husband. She missed her friends at work. She was hot, tired, sweaty, and covered with dirt. She was achy from working hard. She was also incredibly happy.


	106. Chapter 106 Corrupt

_A/N: SOME OF YOU MAY FIND THIS ENTRY UPSETTING. HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY. THE REST OF THE ENTRIES IN THIS SERIES WILL NOT BE AS SAD..._

Booth and Brennan were in a heated argument.

"Why can't you just give it a chance?" Booth was angry.

"I don't want our children's minds corrupted by religion! Teaching them that some fantasy figure loves them and wants them to be happy just leads to disappointment!"

"God is not a fantasy!"

"I know he doesn't exist! I have proof…" Brennan's voice trailed off.

"Proof?"

She nodded. "Do you remember hearing about the foster family that locked me in the car trunk?"

"Because you broke a dish? Yeah…"

"They made me go to church every Sunday. We were yelled at by a minister and told to repent or we'd burn in Hell. I tried to repent…"

"Repent for what?"

"My foster father would come to my room at night and get in bed with me. He'd fondle me and try to abuse me. He told me it was my fault because I'd tempted him. I prayed to God that I'd stop tempting him. When he didn't stop, I prayed that I'd die or he'd die." Tears began to flow. "His wife found him with me, and said I was evil. She kicked me out of the house that night. I was homeless for a few days." Now Brennan was sobbing. "How could a kind god allow that? I knew then God didn't exist."

"Oh, Bones.." Booth embraced his sobbing wife and let her cry. "It wasn't your fault", he murmured, trying to soothe her. "That man was evil, not you."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I know. I'm fine, Booth." She sighed. "I'm going to go wash my face."

Booth watched her walk away. He knew it was wrong, but he took great satisfaction in his personal belief that the man who had abused Bones would spend a very long time burning in Hell….


	107. Chapter 107 Surprise

"I'm excited about dinner with Hodgins and Angela tonight, Booth. Angela's been hinting for a while that something interesting has been going on."

"I thought you didn't like surprises." Booth rang the doorbell.

"This doesn't really count as a surprise since I know something's going to happen." They could hear Michael-Vincent running to the door.

"Hi!", he said, with a big smile. "Are you here for a surprise?"

"Of course!", said Brennan. "Are you ready to surprise us?"

Hodgins appeared at the door. "Come on in. Angela's out by the pool."

They walked out to the patio. Angela was sitting in a lounge chair. Sitting next to her was a small boy with dark curly hair and dark brown eyes. Angela whispered, "Say hello…"

The boy walked over to them, eying them solemnly. "Hello." He then ran back to Angela.

Hodgins spoke up. "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth, Christine, Joey….I'd like you to meet our son, Rico."

Brennan was speechless as she and Booth looked at each other. "Angela…..Hodgins…."

"We're going to adopt Rico." Angela laughed. "I guess we really did surprise you!"

Brennan nodded and smiled. "Yes, you did. You really did!"

Hodgins picked up Rico and bounced the boy on his knee. "We wanted another child but we didn't want to risk passing LCA to a baby, so we decided to adopt. Rico needed a family, and we were a good fit. Things just sorta worked out."

Angela smiled. "We wanted to get all the details sorted through first so we didn't say anything until we were sure. We didn't want to get everybody's hopes up."

"Congratulations, Hodgins." Booth shook his hand.

"Thanks."

Brennan gave Angela a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, sweetie. We're thrilled, especially Michael-Vincent. He's going to be a great big brother."


	108. Chapter 108 Dirty

Brennan sighed as she looked around the kitchen. The Hodgins family had come for lasagne. They'd stayed late, laughing and talking as the kids played. After they left, Booth got the kids ready for bed while she started on the kitchen. Booth had cooked, so it seemed every dish and utensil they owned was dirty...too many for the dishwasher. She was running water into the sink when she was ambushed.

"I'm busy, Booth", she said primly. "What do you want?"

"Hmmm"...he rubbed her shoulders and kissed her neck…"you. I want my wife...right now…."

"I need to do dishes first. I hate leaving dirty dishes in the sink. It causes bacterial growth."

"I don't care about bacteria, Bones…that's not what I'm thinking about right now…"

She felt his hot breath as he nibbled her ear. Her body was beginning to respond to his touch.

She pretended to be annoyed as she turned to face him. She loved this game, especially the way it usually ended. "I have to get the dishes washed or the cheese and tomato sauce will stick to them, and I'll have to scour them. Do you want me to have rough hands?"

"Sometimes I like things rough", he growled. He pulled her close. "The dishes can wait. I'm not sure I can…." His kisses grew more intense as he unbuttoned her blouse. "Tomorrow's Sunday...we'll have all day to wash dishes…."

"Maybe we should turn off the water first…" she said breathlessly, as he caressed her body, "or we'll have to mop…"

"Yeah", he mumbled, as he unzipped her jeans. "Let's do that…" He slapped at the faucet. "C'mere." He pushed the dishes out of the way and sat her on the kitchen counter. "I think maybe I'm still hungry…."

She decided the dishes could wait until Sunday...


	109. Chapter 109 Jump

_A/N: SET ABOUT 10 YEARS IN THE FUTURE. Rico is the adopted son of Angela and Hodgins….._

"What am I going to do with you, boys?" Brennan glared at her son Hank and Rico Hodgins. "The roof is not a safe place to play."

Hank rolled his eyes. "Mom, we weren't playing." He spoke with all the dignity a 10 year old boy could muster. "Rico and I were doing an experiment."

"That's right." Rico nodded. "We're trying to find the best rejectory for our rocket."

"You mean trajectory?" Brennan hesitated. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer to her next question. "Were you planning to launch your rocket from the roof?"

"Yes. I worked out all the numbers, Mom. If we launch from the roof it'll clear the trees better and it won't be likely to hit the house next door."

"I don't want you to hit the house next door, or any other house for that matter. What are you aiming at with your rocket?"

Rico piped up. "We're gonna set up a landing target in the park. That's why we have to get the trajectory just right."

Brennan looked at the two boys. They were both brilliant and had cooked up many schemes together, but this one was the most daring. They might have succeeded if she hadn't seen them jump from the roof after the ladder fell away from the house.

"I'm not comfortable with launching a rocket in our neighborhood, and especially not off the roof. It could endanger aircraft flying overhead. I think we need to find a more remote area to launch. You can still try to hit a target. You can adjust your figures in your calculations. Will that be satisfactory, gentlemen?"

They nodded. "Very satisfactory."

"Good." The boys went out to play. Brennan smiled and thought of Max. He would've been happy knowing there was another scientist in the family.


	110. Chapter 110 Meeting

"How was your meeting, Bones?"

"It was quite exciting. It looks like we're going to make a television show based on my novels. We just have to work out some details."

"WOW! That's great!" Booth kissed his wife. "Congratulations, Bones! How soon will they begin production?"

"It'll be a few months. They have to sign all the actors, and get the staff in place. I'm going to have the title of executive producer."

"Wonderful...what does that mean?"

"I don't know, really. I get to make some suggestions. Oh...guess who they want to play Kathy Reichs? Emily Deschanel…."

Booth was impressed. "She is so hot…." He noticed the slight scowl on his wife's face. "Not as hot as you are, of course. Who's going to be Agent Andy?"

"They're still thinking about that, but I suggested someone...James Marsters. You remember him? He played Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"What? No….he's too short, and his hair is all wrong. You wanna get the guy who played Angel. What's his name?"

"David something...it starts with a B, I think. Do you really think he'd be better? James Marsters is really good…"

Booth grinned. "You think Marsters is handsome, don't you, Bones? That's why you want him, but he's not brawny enough to be Andy. You need a big guy."

"Okay, I'll ask them to look into it. Do you want to be a technical advisor for the program? We'll need to make sure the legal portions are accurate. I'll be the science advisor."

"Yeah, that might be fun. Do we have to move to Hollywood?"

"Not yet. Let's see how it goes first. This is a new chapter in our lives, Booth. There are still some things to arrange, but I'm glad we're doing this together."

He kissed her. "Me, too, Bones." 


	111. Chapter 111 Detail

The plan was set. Operation Surprise Bones would occur on her fiftieth birthday: January 27, 2026. The room was rented. Arrangements were made for Max and Giselle to come from their assisted living center. Giselle's children and their families were going to be there, as well as Russ, Amy, and the girls. Their own children would be there with their significant others and all the grandchildren. People were coming from all over the country. The food was ordered, and the cover story discussed. Booth would tell Bones they were trying a new Thai place. Everything was arranged down to the smallest detail, except….

...the body that was discovered at the Jefferson Memorial the afternoon of the party.

Booth was frantic. He'd tried everything to convince Bones that she could wait until the next day to look at the corpse, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"It's a murder case, Booth. We can go out tomorrow night. I don't mind."

After getting nowhere, Booth called in the big guns.

"Angela...I'm desperate. I need you to get Bones to leave the lab."

"I'll handle it, Booth."

Angela walked onto the lab platform where Brennan and her newest intern were digging through the remains.

"Sweetie...a word."

"I'm busy, Angela."

"NOW." The tone of Angela's voice got Brennan's attention.

"What?"

"You're going to leave these remains here with Mr. Donovan and go home to change clothes. You'll then, without arguing, go with your husband to the surprise birthday party that he's spent weeks planning for you, where you will act surprised. I'll be there to make sure it all happens that way."

"Angela, I don't have time…."

"Yes, you do. Booth wants to do this for you because he loves you. You'll go along with it because you love him. Now, go, and remember, ACT SURPRISED!"


	112. Chapter 112 Day

Booth sat at his desk, contemplating the events of the last 24 hours. How could one day be so different than the next? Could one day really bring such extreme changes to a person's life? Yesterday, he'd been a happy-go-lucky, average, run of the mill FBI agent. There was nothing special about him, and nothing special in his life except his son and his luck playing pool. He'd never had to try very hard to be successful at anything and he was satisfied with where he was at work and in life.

Last night playing pool had run into this morning. When he dragged himself into the office a woman was waiting for him, asking him to look over her daughter's case one more time. It was heartbreaking. He had asked Cam for help, but she had no suggestions except to find some scientist and ask for her expertise. Crazy, right? Everybody knows cops solve murders, not scientists.

But when he found the scientist he knew today would be a memorable day. This woman would change his life. He knew it was true, even though he wasn't sure why he thought so. She was exceptional. She was too brilliant and talented to work with an average, run of the mill FBI agent. If he wanted her help he'd have to prove he deserved her time and energy. It was a challenge he was ready to undertake.

It was time to change his life...time to live up to his potential...time to grow up. He'd prove to Dr. Brennan he was worthy of her time so she'd help him solve this case. He'd work hard and rise to the top of his profession. This day would be the turning point for his future. This day marked the beginning of the new Seeley Booth.


	113. Chapter 113 Mobile

Seeley Booth was a talented man. He was a skilled athlete, a decorated Army Ranger, and he was moving up through the ranks of the FBI. He was upwardly mobile, intelligent and attractive. He was successful in everything he did, except getting Temperance Brennan to return his calls.

He'd realized early on in his career that he needed something to set him apart from all of the other FBI agents if he wanted to achieve a directorship and the corner office that came with it. The best way to set himself apart was to close more cases than the other agents, so he wanted to use all the tools he had at his disposal. A good plan, if he could get Temperance Brennan to return his calls.

He'd worked with her once, solving a cold case that had been considered unsolvable. "Bones", as he called her, was a brilliant scientist whose specialty was forensic anthropology. Her help had been invaluable. She was mercurial, changing moods at the drop of a hat, and it didn't hurt that she was beautiful. He'd be sure to tell her how valuable her skills were, maybe even applying a little charm, if he could just get Temperance Brennan to return his calls.

Long after most men would have given up, Booth kept calling and kept getting stonewalled. He was tired of being ignored. Finally he hatched a different plan, having her held for questioning at the airport as she returned from a dig. She was indignant, claiming she was kidnapped, at first refusing to help him. That changed when she became intrigued with the case he presented. He told her that all those dramatic flourishes could have been avoided if she, Temperance Brennan, had just returned his calls.

And the rest, as they say, is history…..


	114. Chapter 114 Haunted

Booth sat in the tiny cubicle that served as his office, looking over a case file. Another conviction. Working with Bones had done wonders for his career. Booth wanted to stand out from the crowd of FBI agents in all the other little cubicles, and he intended to use all of the tools at his disposal to achieve that success.

He thought about Bones. Her work was meticulous. She was never satisfied with doing things halfway. Her science was exact, and she strived for perfection. He'd wondered from time to time what drove her to be so single minded. It was like she was haunted by the spectre of failure. She had to succeed to survive, it seemed. Nothing would keep her from achieving her goal once she set her mind to it.

But there was something else...under the woman's seemingly cold exterior he knew there was a sad, scared little girl trying to prove her worth...trying to prove that her parents were wrong to abandon her. He tried to imagine how she must've felt when she realized her parents and brother were really gone and she was alone in the world. She'd relied on her intellect to get by, and her emotions had been stuffed down inside of her.

Booth sighed, wishing he could get Bones out of his mind. He liked his life the way it was...relatively uncomplicated. He had a beautiful girlfriend, was well-liked by his co-workers, and tolerated by his boss. He didn't want to become involved with Bones' life. It would be too messy. And yet….he knew he couldn't walk away. Not because he needed her to solve crimes with him, but because she needed him to be a friend.

He'd help her because she was his partner, and that's how partners treated each other.


	115. Chapter 115 Practical

"Booth!"

Booth and Brennan turned to see Agent Sanders following them.

"Hey, Sanders. How's it going?" Booth stopped to shake Sanders' hand. "I guess you've been busy with all the Salvadoran gang stuff, right?"

Sanders nodded. "Yeah...Mala Muerte's in the middle of a shake up and it's causing some collateral damage. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Ramon Ortez is out of the picture."

"Really." Booth was surprised. "I thought he was the man." 

Sanders grimaced. "He was the man until someone shot him between the eyes." Sanders nodded at Bones. "I guess you won't have to worry about that hit any more, right, Dr. Brennan?"

"What?" Brennan was confused.

"We gotta go. Thanks, Sanders."

"Booth, what was Agent Sanders talking about?" Brennan refused to budge.

"Ortez didn't take kindly to you kicking his ass." Booth shook his head at the memory. "He put a hit out on you, so I went to visit him and convinced him that he really didn't want to do that."

"Booth, I can take care of myself! You don't need to be my protector!" Brennan crossed her arms over her chest and stamped her foot. "I'm not afraid of people like him!"

"I know you're not, but you need to be afraid sometimes. A hit like that would be something you wouldn't see coming. I wanted Ortez to see that he had nothing to gain by taking you out, because I'd take him out. He got the message. Now that he's dead, Mala Muerte won't be interested in you. Besides, I wasn't protecting you. I was being practical. I need you to help me solve crimes, and you can't do that if you're dead." He grinned. "You know I'm right."

Brennan thought for a minute, then smiled slightly. "I suppose so. Thanks, Booth."

"No problem, Bones."


	116. Chapter 116 Obvious

"Booth?" Cam nudged him.

"Hmmmm?" He was almost asleep.

"Do you think Dr. Brennan's attractive?"

Booth's eyes flew open. He was wide awake now. "What?"

"That doesn't answer my question. You think she's pretty, right?" 

He turned over. "What's this about, Camille?"

"As if you didn't know. It was obvious the other night when you stayed to help Dr. Brennan with the paperwork on Brianna Swanson's case….you seemed to have more than a professional interest. Do you think she's prettier than me?"

Booth exhaled slowly. It would be difficult to get out of this discussion unscathed. "Well, of course, she's attractive, but I wouldn't say she's more attractive than you. It's kind of like comparing apples and oranges. I like them both for different reasons." He hoped this statement would be enough to keep him out of trouble.

Cam rolled her eyes at his attempt to appease her. "So you're telling me you've never noticed her big blue eyes, and her great figure, even though you work closely with her every day. She's just another co-worker, right? I know you, Booth….you're a sucker for a pretty face."

"Cam, you're a beautiful woman. Why would I be tempted to look at another woman when I have you?" He gave her his best charm smile.

"That's what I'm wondering….you looked very tempted as you leaned over the table toward Dr. Brennan. I thought you might kiss her…."

Booth knew exactly what Cam meant….for that split second he had thought about kissing Bones… "Of course I wouldn't kiss her. She's my partner, that's all. You, on the other hand, are my girlfriend." He gave Cam a squeeze and a kiss.

"Okay...I believe you." She hugged him.

"Good." He lay in the dark, trying not to think about Bones being beautiful….


	117. Chapter 117 Suffocate

Booth was a man on a mission as he strode quickly across the lab. He passed Cam's office without going in. He looked in Brennan's office, and not finding her there, hurried to the lab platform. He had to see Bones….see for himself that she was okay. He couldn't wait any longer.

He walked onto the platform and found her studying a set of remains. He watched her for a few seconds before calling to her. "Bones?"

She was surprised to see him. "What are you doing here, Booth? This corpse isn't a recently deceased person. This is a set of remains from World War I."

He hesitated when he realized how foolish he'd been, and how ridiculous he would sound. He inhaled sharply. "I, um...I had a nightmare. You were suffocating and I couldn't find you. I was looking frantically, and time was running out. It was scary because it seemed so real. When I woke up this morning I had to make sure you were okay." He sighed and gave her a sheepish grin. "Pretty silly, isn't it? I'm sorry I bothered you."

Brennan smiled. "Research shows that traumatic events can cause anxiety and nightmares for months, even years. It's quite normal. I'm glad you felt concerned enough to check on me."

He stood looking into her beautiful blue eyes for a minute, trying to decide what he really felt when he heard a voice behind him.

"Booth?" It was Cam. "You forgot to stop and say hello when you went jogging by my office this morning. Is everything okay?"

"I was just checking on Bones, making sure she was recovering from her trauma."

Cam smiled. "How about some coffee?"

"Sure." He glanced at Bones, knowing that recent traumatic events were not entirely responsible for how he felt about her….


	118. Chapter 118 Testify

Max Keenan had been acquitted of murdering FBI Director Robert Kirby. His defense team had created reasonable doubt by suggesting that someone other than Max could've committed the crime...namely, Temperance Brennan, his daughter.

Booth was still angry at Max. He couldn't believe the man would deliberately put his daughter in jeopardy like that. What if Caroline had decided to prosecute Bones? It would've been a perfectly logical next step. He was thinking about the situation when there was a knock at his office door.

"Booth?"

"Hiya, Bones. How's Max?"

"He's trying to decide what to do next...where to live, where to work….things like that." She hesitated. "Booth, I want to tell you something."

He sighed. He hated it when she started conversations that way. "What is it, Bones?"

"I want to thank you…." She chose her words carefully. "I know it was quite difficult for you to testify that I had motive and opportunity to commit the murder, and I appreciate what you did for Max and for me. I'm sorry you were put in that position."

"That's what partners do…. they help each other."

"Partners help each other...you're right, Booth. In this instance, however, your help came at a personal cost to you. It's very painful to have to testify against a partner….against a friend…."

"Bones", Booth interrupted, "don't worry about it. I'm just glad things worked out, okay? It was a gamble, but it paid off." He grinned. "Just stay out of trouble so I don't have to testify against you again, alright?"

"Of course! I've got to get back to the lab. See you later."

Booth shook his head, laughing at himself. It'd been miserable testifying about Bones at her father's trial, but he knew he'd do it all over again if it made her happy….


	119. Chapter 119 Suspicious

There was something suspicious going on. Booth had the feeling that Bones was hiding something from him. He wondered if she was still angry at him for the whole faked death fiasco, but he knew she'd tell him if that was true. He smiled to himself. He almost always knew exactly what she was thinking.

He decided to ask her about it. "Bones", he began, "what did you mean when you said something to Sweets about conducting experiments on us? You never answered my question when we were at the diner."

She braced herself, knowing how angry Booth would be. "Sweets was only partially truthful about why he didn't tell me you were really alive."

"Partially truthful?

Brennan nodded. "He wanted to quantify our emotional reactions to the situation. He wanted to know how I'd express my emotions over your death and how you'd deal with my inevitable anger at being manipulated when the truth was revealed. He conducted an experiment. He didn't tell me so he could study my compartmentalization and your emotional responses for the book he's writing about us."

Booth swore under his breath. "I'll kill him. I swear, Bones, I didn't know. You're right. I should've told you myself instead of relying on someone else. I'm sorry."

"You had no way of knowing what he was doing, Booth. It's not your fault."

"Sweets needs to pay for what he did to us. We need to retaliate somehow. I'd like to punch him, but that's likely to cause more trouble. What do you think?"

Brennan thought for a minute. "What about what Cam told us? She thinks Sweets is Gormogon."

"That's it...we're gonna go arrest Sweets on suspicion of being Gormogon."

"Do you really think it's him?"

"No, but it'll make us feel better, right?" Booth grinned.

Brennan laughed. "Absolutely!"


	120. Chapter 120 Doctor

_Set between Seasons 4 and 5, explaining why Brennan left for Guatemala even though Booth was still in recovery for his brain tumor._

"Doc, I need you to do something for me. Tell my partner that my recovery is right on schedule and she can go to Guatemala because I'm okay."

"Mr. Booth, you're still experiencing memory issues in addition to the identity confusion and double vision. Your recovery isn't really on schedule."

"Look, I know my memory is shaky, and I've got a long way to go towards being 100%, but I hate her seeing me like this. I'm supposed to be a big strong guy, but I feel like baby. I'm angry because I can't remember things like my address, where I work, or what I like to eat. There are a lot of simple things I can't do without help. I don't want her to see me this way. I also don't want her hovering over me, fretting because I'm not meeting a recovery schedule like she thinks I should. I know it's not really the truth, but could you do a guy a favor? There she is. Come on, please?"

Brennan walked into Booth's hospital room. "How's our patient today, Doctor?"

Booth grinned. "Doc says I'm doing great...better than expected. I'm completely out of the woods, so you can go dig up those Aztecs or whatever it is you want to dig up. Right, Doc?"

" Mr. Booth is better, but…."

Booth interrupted. " See? Told you. So off you go, Bones."

"I should stay in case you need something…."

"Sweets can take care of me. You just go have fun."

Brennan looked surprised. "If you say so...but I'll be gone 6 weeks."

"That's fine. I'll be 100% when you get back."

"I can help you with your therapy."

"They have people here to do that. I'm fine. I'll see you soon. Bye."

Bones left, shaking her head, very confused. Booth was serious again. "Thanks, Doc."


	121. Chapter 121 Sinful

"Bones...what are you doing?" She'd followed Booth into his office, locking the door and closing the blinds.

"I'm feeling affectionate….I want to have intercourse. We have time." She reached up and started to loosen his tie.

"Here?...Now?"

"Yes….there's plenty of room on the floor, or, if you prefer, you can clear off your desk." She kissed him while she unbuttoned his shirt.

"Bones, I'm with Hannah. It's sinful for me to have sex with another woman while I'm committed to someone.", Booth said as she kissed him again and began unbuttoning her own shirt.

"I don't believe in sin, Booth," she said, as she unhooked her bra. "I believe in being happy and satisfied. Right now I want you to satisfy me over and over again. Please, Booth…it's just sex." She unzipped his pants. He wanted to resist but he felt rooted to the spot. He wanted to take his eyes off her bare breasts but he couldn't look away.

"I shouldn't be doing this. I can't have sex with you, Bones…." He pulled her close and kissed her passionately. "It's not right….I love Hannah…" He ran his hands over Brennan's body, enjoying her response to his touch. "Seriously, this is wrong...I don't want to do this", as he swept everything off his desk. "Come here, Bones…" They made love over and over again…..

Booth sat up suddenly in bed, panting and sweating profusely. He'd had that dream again. He felt guilty as he looked over at Hannah. She mumbled something and turned toward him. "Are you alright, Seeley? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a nightmare. Go back to sleep."

Booth lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The dream seemed so real….and he almost wanted to have it again….


	122. Chapter 122 Want

"I always thought we'd be very compatible, didn't you?"

"Well...yeah…."

Ever since Bones had asked Booth that question when they were stuck in the elevator he'd had a difficult time thinking of anything else. Everything seemed to remind him of just how compatible they'd be together, and how badly he wanted to experience that compatibility.

He wanted to embrace her tenderly and kiss her passionately. He wanted to feel her soft skin against his as she slept next to him. He wanted to caress her breasts gently with his fingertips. He wanted to have her long legs wrapped around his body, moving her body against him as they came together, moaning softly as she clung to him, wanting more of him…

"Booth, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Bones. Why?"

"Your breathing seems to be heavy and erratic, and you appear to be flushed and perspiring. Are you ill?"

"I have a cold, but I'm fine."

"If you have a fever you should probably go home and rest. You might be contagious."

"Really, I'm fine, okay? Can we just get back to work? Do you have any information about murder weapon for me?"

"If you look at the magnified area on the screen, you can see marks on the bone indicate a continuous firm thrusting motion, probably caused by the weapon moving in and out of the opening repeatedly. I think it must have been a long, hard, cylindrical object with a pointed end."

She turned to face him, and he groaned as he noticed how snugly her shirt hugged her curves….

"Maybe you're right, Bones. I'm feeling kinda strange. I'm gonna head for home."

Brennan put a hand to his forehead. "You do feel feverish. You need to rest."

Booth shook his head. "Rest isn't what I need...but thanks anyway….."


	123. Chapter 123 Bored

"I'm bored."

"An intelligent person should never be bored", said Brennan, without looking up from her laptop. "Use your imagination."

"My imagination isn't working today. I can't think of anything to do."

"Have you finished the reading you were supposed to do?"

"Yes."

"And all of your written work?"

"Uh huh."

"And you've picked up your toys?"

"Yes."

"And cleaned your room?"

"Yes. You can check it."

"I will", said Brennan, looking up from the keyboard, "even in the closet."

"Oh…."

"Have you worked on the foreign language drills on your computer?"

"Yes."

"You know, I can check that from my computer", said Brennan, typing again.

"Okay, maybe not all of them, but I promise I'll finish all of them before I go to bed tonight."

"Have you finished all your chores?"

"Yes. Everything's finished. Can I watch TV?"

"You're grounded from television. Do you remember why?"

"I used words that children aren't supposed to say."

"And?", said Brennan, looking up from her computer.

"I had a tantrum."

"What else?"

"I threw things."

"Are those acceptable behaviors to exhibit while watching television?"

"No…(with eye rolling and a sing song voice) those are not acceptable behaviors to exhibit while watching television. I've learned my lesson. I won't do those things again, I promise. If I do, you can ground me for 2 months. Please? Pretty please? It's my favorite show. I promise to be good…."

Brennan looked back down at her keyboard. "I don't know. Consistency is best when enforcing household rules. If I let you get away with things this time it might send the wrong signal about what is expected."

" Pleeeease?"

"Okay, Booth." She smiled indulgently. "I assume it's important because the Phillies are playing the Flyers in the Superball or something like that, right?"

"Close. Thanks, Bones!"


	124. Chapter 124 Marriage

"Do you always have to have the last word? Just once, couldn't you nod and smile?" Booth was chasing after Brennan as she stormed across the church parking lot.

"It's not my fault the man is an idiot. That kind of stupidity shouldn't go unchallenged. How can he lead a congregation?" She slammed the car door.

"He leads a congregation because he teaches Church doctrine, which states that one of the purposes of marriage is procreation. If we want to get married in this church we have to come to premarital counseling and listen to what the priest says, but we don't have to agree with everything. We just have to be tactful." Booth tried a charm smile to smooth Brennan's ruffled feathers. "Please? Because you love me?"

Brennan wasn't ready to be charmed. "The main purpose of marriage is to ensure inheritance rights and legal standing for offspring. We were able to procreate very well without being married, and the idea that we should produce several children just because we're married is ridiculous. I don't care what that man says, Booth... I will use birth control instead of natural family planning, especially since you have such a high sperm count. And another thing…"

Booth listened patiently as Brennan ranted about everything the priest had discussed with them in their counseling session. As much as he wanted to get married in the Church, he wasn't sure it was worth the headache of listening to his lovely partner complain tear apart Church doctrine.

"...however, I will say this, Booth. I love you. I'm willing to continue counseling if it means we can get married in your Church."

He was amazed at what she was willing to do to make him happy, especially since she found Church doctrine so distasteful. "Thanks, Bones. I love you, too."


	125. Chapter 125 grotesque

It was a normal Saturday morning. Brennan was cleaning the kitchen when Booth came rushing through the front door.

"Bones, look at what I bought at the garage sale down the street." He showed her an incredibly ugly carved figure.

"Booth, what is that? Did you actually pay someone for that thing? It's grotesque."

"Kona's not grotesque." Booth was offended. "He's a Hawaiian god. He's a companion for my Kalo lamp. I think I wanna redecorate my man cave with a Hawaiian theme."

"I think that's really some cheap trinket the native Hawaiians sell to unsuspecting tourists. I can't believe you like it. It doesn't even look Polynesian. I imagine it was made in China."

"I like him, and I'm gonna keep him. He's not any worse than that African fertility statue you have in our bedroom. You know the one with the giant di…."

Brennan's eyes darted toward Christine.

"di...mple. The giant dimple. Come on, Bones. That thing is just ugly. You know it is."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Christine?"

"Are you talking about Mommy's statue in the bedroom that has the large penis?"

Booth's eyes were enormous as Brennan tried not to laugh. "Yes, Sweetheart, that's the one I'm talking about. Why?"

"I was curious 'cause I never saw a dimple on it. I'm gonna go look." Christine ran off to her parents' bedroom.

Booth looked at Brennan with surprise. "Where did she learn the word 'penis'?"

"It's better than the word you were going to use, Booth. She needs to learn appropriate names for body parts. She asked about it, so I told her."

"Fine. Whatever. I'm gonna take my little friend here and we're gonna go hide from your fertility statue. At least Kona here is rated G."

"I don't know, Booth." Brennan smiled. "Look where his hands are…."


	126. Chapter 126 Lucky

The neighborhood party was in full swing at the community swimming pool. Booth was sitting with some of the other dads by the kiddie pool, enjoying his beer and watching Christine splash happily. Then something caught his eye.

His wife was getting out of the pool. She was wearing a modestly cut two piece suit, but she looked so sexy….the water running down her, the turquoise fabric clinging to her in all the right spots, those long slender legs, so graceful...he was mesmerized. Her swimsuit accentuated her breasts and hips well...perhaps too well. The best part was that she wasn't aware of how gorgeous she looked. She pushed her hair out of her face and started to towel off while talking to the other women. She reached down to dry her legs, and her cleavage was readily visible. Booth wasn't paying attention to the conversation around him anymore. He was thinking about other things, until he heard…

"Man, check it out.", said the guy next to him. "That turquoise swimsuit is something else. She's got it all."

"Somebody's been holding out on us. She's fantasy worthy." The second guy took a drink of his beer.

"Easy, boys...that's my wife you're drooling over." Booth's expression told them he was not amused.

"Seriously?" said the first guy. "You're a lucky, lucky man."

"I know...she proves it to me every night." He caught her eye and she walked over to him. "Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my beautiful wife, Temperance Brennan. Bones...Bobby and Ricky. Are you ready to go, Honey?''

As they left, she asked, "What was that about, Booth?"

"I'm establishing my dominance in the neighborhood hierarchy as the alpha male with the most attractive mate."

Bones smiled. "Aww...you used anthropology. That's so sweet."


	127. Chapter 127 Experiment

It was time for the regular nightly rituals. Booth was busy brushing his teeth, while Brennan sat propped up on her pillows reading. She usually read anthropology journals before bed, so Booth was curious...what she was reading tonight looked different.

"Whatcha readin', Bones?", he asked as he rinsed. "You look really interested."

"Oh...I borrowed Angela's copy of _The Joy of Sex._ "

Booth nearly choked on his toothpaste. " _The Joy of Sex_? Why would you borrow that? Aren't you satisfied with how things are going? I don't think we need instructions."

"I'm quite satisfied, thank you." She smiled and winked at him. "However, the authors have diagrams of sex positions that are advantageous for someone who has a bad back. I was wondering if we should try one to see if it's helpful for you."

"So what...you want to run an experiment? I gotta tell you...that kinda takes the romance out of the process, if you know what I mean."

"No...it's not like Masters & Johnson...but next time your back is sore we could try them. Look. Here's a picture of one."

Booth turned the book in several different directions, trying to get the best view. "I'm not even sure we can get arranged in that way, are you? That looks uncomfortable."

"Well, it says in the book that it might take practice before it's comfortable. But there are others to try. Here's one you might like better…"

"Yeah, that one looks a bit more practical. So what does it say about times when my back doesn't hurt? Any suggestions in there about that?"

"I think this position looks interesting...although we may almost be too old to bend like that. Or maybe this one…"

He took the book from her and, smiling, turned off the light. "Let's experiment."


	128. Chapter 128 Entrapment

Brennan took the apple pie out of the oven and put it on the counter to cool. She'd taken off from work a few hours early to bake a pie to take to the school concert and bake sale. She glanced at the clock: 4:47. She decided to use the time before Booth came home with Christine to get ready for the evening.

Court ended early, so Booth and Christine got home at 5:15. Booth sent Christine to change her clothes for the concert. He caught a whiff of cinnamon. "Sweet!", he thought, "Bones made me an apple pie." He cut himself a big piece and enjoyed it thoroughly before going to change his clothes.

"Hi, Booth. I didn't hear you come in. We need to leave in about an hour." She went into the kitchen to wrap up the pie, and found a very large hole in it. "BOOTH! You ate a piece of this pie! I made it to take for the bake sale! Now what am I going to take? I don't have time to make another one. Why didn't you ask before having some of it?"

"Why would I ask? How would I know it was for a bake sale? I thought you made me a pie because you love me."

"I do love you...however, that doesn't keep me from being annoyed with you about eating part of the pie."

"Entrapment." Booth was smiling. "This is entrapment. Tempting me to break the law, and then being mad when I do. It's not my fault."

"That's a ridiculous excuse. Please go to the grocery store and buy a another pie while I help Christine get ready."

"Does that mean I can finish the rest of that pie?" He laughed as he dodged the dish towel Brennan threw at him.


	129. Chapter 129 Hunger

Booth's stomach was rumbling. Bones was on another health kick, which meant he had to be on a diet. He went along with the diet while he was at home, but he wasn't always careful at work.

He'd already exhausted the use of Aubrey's snack supply, and besides, Aubrey and Bones were becoming good friends. If Booth wasn't careful, Aubrey might slip and give away his secret. He was going to have to be sly.

His hunger was making it hard to concentrate. Booth had an hour before his next appointment, so he decided to get a snack. Pie from the diner sounded good, but he knew Bones might see him there, and there'd be Hell to pay. He decided in favor of the ice cream parlor a few blocks over from the diner.

Booth opted for a double dip hot fudge and banana sundae with extra nuts and extra whipped cream. It was wonderful….creamy vanilla ice cream coated with silky chocolate and covered with sliced bananas….he was savoring every bite when he heard the store's doorbell ring and he heard that familiar voice. It was Bones! He tried to shrink into the corner to avoid being seen until he realized she was buying ice cream, too. She turned to Angela and laughed.

"I hope Booth doesn't find out about my snack purchases, or he'll be insufferable." Brennan smiled. "I think I've finally gotten him to eat in a more healthy manner." She paid for her purchase and turned around to see Booth waving at her and smiling broadly.

"Hiya, Bones. I guess since you've bought ice cream that makes it a healthy snack, right?"

"It's made with natural, organic ingredients here in the store…" she began.

Booth grinned. "So it must be good for us."

She ate a spoonful and smiled. "Exactly."


	130. Chapter 130 Right

They were in the middle of an intense discussion when Booth suddenly realized he hadn't been listening to what Brennan had been saying. He was surprised at himself. How could he have been so distracted?

He tried to focus on the conversation again so he could act as if he'd been listening the whole time, but he soon figured out the problem. It was that blue tee shirt. It was the perfect color for her, making her skin glow and her eyes look intensely blue. The neckline dipped a bit in front, giving a peek at her cleavage, and it fit her curves perfectly. Whatever they were discussing wasn't as relevant as how sexy she looked in that shirt.

"You know, Bones….you're absolutely right. I agree 110%."

"What? Really?" She gave him a suspicious glare. "Five minutes ago you thought it was a horrible idea, remember?"

He shrugged. "I changed my mind." He embraced her, glancing down to the front of her shirt and back to her eyes. "I'm tired of arguing." He kissed her tenderly.

"I see." She tilted her head and asked, "Are you agreeing with me because you want to have intercourse now or because you think I'm right?"

"I'm following the Biblical advice to not let the sun go down on my anger. I want to have a peaceful house. If that means I agree with my wife, that's fine with me." He caressed her gently.

"Fine. If you agree with me, and this discussion is over, we can have sex now." She laughed. "You know, Booth, if I knew that having sex was all it took to convince you to have tofu for dinner twice a week I would have tried this method of convincing you weeks ago."

"Wait….tofu?" He followed her to the bedroom. "We were arguing about tofu?"


	131. Chapter 131 Plead

"Seriously? Who set the alarm to go off at 6 am on Saturday morning?" Booth pulled the sheets over his head. "I'm not getting up."

"Booth...you promised to go with me to the opening of the new jellyfish exhibit at the aquarium. The VIP tour starts at 8:30 am. I don't want to be late." Brennan pulled the sheets away from Booth's face and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Christine's excited, too. You don't want to disappoint her, do you?"

"I don't remember saying I'd go. I think you're making it up so you don't have to chase all those little kids by yourself. Can I please sleep a little bit longer? Please? It won't take me long to get ready. I promise I'll be ready in time." He was using his best sad puppy dog eyes on her, which she usually found irresistible. He even added a few extra notes of pleading to his voice, but his wife wasn't falling for it.

"If you sleep longer, you'll be rushing around trying to get ready on time, which makes me stressed, and you'll be irritable for the rest of the day. It's better to get up now and take your time getting ready."

Booth realized desperate times called for desperate measures. He reached out and embraced his wife, pulling her down next to him in bed. He nibbled her ear and kissed her neck. "Please? Can't we stay in bed just a little bit longer? I'll make it worth your while…." He caressed her gently and kissed her again.

"Booth…" she moaned…"I...don't want...to be late…" She was trying to talk between kisses, but finally gave up...she and Booth would stay in bed a little longer.

After all….who cares about jellyfish, anyway?


	132. Chapter 132 Luck

"I remember being there like it was yesterday. I walked into that lecture hall and saw you teaching that class, and I knew my luck had changed."

"You know that's ridiculous, right, Booth? Luck had nothing to do with it. Fate had nothing to do with it. It was just random chance that we met."

"All these years later and you still can't admit that there was nothing random about our meeting. It had to be planned by God. He planned for me to have a wonderful life with a wonderful wife." Booth grinned at Brennan, knowing she'd take the bait.

"There's no evidence of any divine plan. I was recommended to you because I'm the best in my field, and you needed some help. That's all."

"I don't think so. I think God knew you were the only woman I'd ever really be happy with."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "That's really sweet, Booth, but it's also not true. If you hadn't met me, you would have found some other woman that you'd be happy with, and I would've continued on with my life and would've been happy, too."

"I can't imagine I'd be as happy as I am now. How could there be anyone who understands me or loves me as much as you do?"

"I love you and understand you, but someone else would've loved you, too. I'm glad I'm the one who gets to love you and that I get to be your wife, but I wasn't the only possibility."

"I'm not buying it. Nope. It's always been only you for me."

"Even when you dated Tessa, Cam, Catherine, and Hannah?" Brennan smiled wryly. How does that show that I'm the only one for you?"

Booth smiled. "Simple. Those relationships didn't work out. This one did."

Brennan kissed him. "Silly man….."


	133. Chapter 133 Long Hours

He'd spent long hours observing her, like a sniper, trying to take in everything about her. He used skills learned in Special Ops: stealth and guile. He moved silently, and made himself practically invisible, blending into the surroundings. He could move from place to place without being noticed, so he followed her, and she never suspected a thing.

He knew her favorite restaurant, her favorite salad dressing, her favorite color, her computer passwords, and what she used for her ringtone. He knew what she ate for breakfast and that she drank her tea without sugar. He could recognize all of her moods and the nuances of her facial expressions and he learned what her different vocal inflections meant. He'd watched at a distance as she shopped for shoes and groceries, making notes, using these clues to understand his quarry.

He used her friends to gather more information on her movements and her habits. He knew where she was every minute of every day. Nothing she could do would be missed by his trained eyes. He knew everything she did, who she did it with, and where she was when she did it. He realized she was actually quite predictable….something he could use to his advantage. Soon he'd be able to gain his objective.

Finally all of his reconnaissance gave him the knowledge he needed to complete his mission. She had no more secrets….he knew everything. His objective was in reach. All he needed was to be in position to pull the trigger.

"Happy Anniversary, Bones! I hope you like it!" He gave her a wrapped jewelry box.

"Oh, Booth….it's perfect. You had this necklace custom made for me? It's like you knew exactly what I wanted. How did you manage to keep this a secret from me?"

He laughed. "I'll never tell!"


	134. Chapter 134 Complain

Booth stood fidgeting for a few minutes before going in. "Hey, Aldo."

"Hey, Booth. How you doing?"

"Can't complain." Booth took a seat at the bar.

Aldo laughed. "Very funny. The only time I see you is when you've got something to complain about. I know about everything that's happened to you this past year. It's been a rough one. What'll you have?"

"Scotch. I've been able to handle most of what happened by myself."

"You really think so?"

Booth ignored the question. "Anyway, remember that kid Sweets? He was murdered, you know, and I can't seem to move past it. It's affecting my relationship with Bones."

"There's been lot of guys killed in battle under your command, Sarge. Why was this so different?"

Booth took a drink of his whiskey and exhaled slowly. "It was senseless. There was no purpose in it. And I was supposed to be there. He was just doing me a favor…"

"Lots of young men die for no good reason. It's random chance...no rhyme or reason. Fortunes of war, right?"

"This was different. I could've prevented it. It should've been me instead of him."

"But it wasn't, and you feeling guilty won't change that. Maybe it bothers you so much because Sweets reminded you of your own mortality, or maybe he reminded you of all those young guys like Teddy who died in the line of duty. Maybe it's part of God's crazy plan. Who knows? But you're still here. You can't give up because someone else died. You gotta keep going.

Booth sighed. "Bones says I gotta talk to someone about this. Can that someone be you?"

"Your wife is one smart lady. Yeah... I got some time... it can be me." Aldo poured another shot for Booth and one for himself. "So….tell me about Sweets..."


	135. Chapter 135 Funeral

Funeral

"Henry Joseph Booth, I baptize you in the Name of the Father...and the Son... and the Holy Spirit."

"Amen."

After the baptismal reception, Brennan found Booth sitting on a bench in the sunny church courtyard, holding their son as Christine played nearby. "Booth…."

"Oh, hiya Bones", he said softly, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "Tiger's had a hard day. He's wiped out."

"Were you thinking about Pops?"

"Yeah, a little. I mean it's hard not to….we had his funeral in this church not long ago, and now our son was baptized here. Kinda like a circle of life thing, you know?"

Brennan smiled and sat down next to Booth. "I'm glad we were able to tell Pops that we were going to call our son Hank."

"He was so proud. And Joseph was his father's name. I never knew that until he told me."

"Booth...Pops told me once that he was prouder of you than anything else. I know he meant it."

Hank stretched and smiled in his sleep. "Bones, whenever I look at our kids, I just hope that I can be the man that Pops wanted me to be. I don't know how I'll ever be able to live up to the example he set for me...the father he was to me is the father I want to be for our kids."

"Booth….remind me sometime to tell you some things that your grandfather told me. But for right now, I want you to know that you're a wonderful father….the best father I could ever want for my children, and they're so lucky to have you." She kissed him on the cheek. "You're a good man, and I love you very much."

"Aww ….thanks, Bones…" as Hank started to fuss. "I love you, too."


	136. Chapter 136 Wealthy

"Bones, is that a new book you're working on?"

"Yes." She looked up from her laptop. "This will be the sequel to Bad to the Bone. The working title is Bone Chips. Why?"

"Well, I was just thinking that you'll get a pretty healthy advance for your next book. Your publishers are gonna be glad to have another one to sell, right?"

"My advances usually run into at least six figures. You know that. What's this about, Booth?"

"Well….", he paused, trying to think of the best approach. "I was thinking….since we're technically wealthy, maybe we could have someone come in a couple of days a week to help with the cleaning. We're both really busy, and we work odd hours, and having two kids presents a challenge when it comes to keeping the house clean…."

Brennan looked up from her computer, chuckling at her husband. "Is this about the bathrooms?"

"Bathrooms? No…" Booth tried to look innocent.

"Yes, it is." Brennan shook her head at his lack of subtlety. "This is your week to scrub the toilets and bathtubs, isn't it? You hate that chore more than any other one. You want to hire a housekeeper so you don't have to do that."

Booth pretended to be shocked by his wife's statement. "I was just thinking of you. You have to clean the bathrooms sometimes, too. Plus, you hate to dust, so a housekeeper could help with that chore. It's not like we can't afford it."

"Didn't we decide to use the money I make from my books for our children's education fund?"

"Way to make me feel guilty, Bones. Sorry…. You're right. I guess we really don't need a housekeeper. I'll do the bathrooms tomorrow."

Brennan laughed. "Actually, we have a housekeeper starting this Wednesday. You were right….I hate to dust."


	137. Chapter 137 Hug

Christine was going to a friend's birthday party. Brennan was going to take her while Booth stayed home with Hank. That suited Booth just fine. He was exhausted from his week at work.

Booth put Hank on the floor to play with his toys and slumped into his favorite chair. Trying to catch up after being gone had been difficult. It had been worth it to spend time with Parker, but crime didn't stop when Booth was out of the office. There hadn't been any new information on his latest case, and even though the victim was still alive, she couldn't communicate with anyone.

He was roused by a small hand patting his knee. "Dada….truck?" Hank handed his Daddy a toy fire truck.

"Thanks, buddy. Let's play trucks." Booth got down on the floor, making fire truck noises, much to his son's delight. "OOOOOOO….There's the siren. Here comes the truck. Where's the policeman? Here's the FBI." Booth ran the toy SUV down Hank's leg, causing Hank to laugh loudly.

"Dada….more." Hank brought his Daddy a toy plane. Booth and Hank took turns flying the plane over the "fire", laughing and making plane noises.

"Okay, Tiger, the fire's out. How about a book?" Hank brought his Daddy the fire truck book. "Hmmm…" Booth smiled. "I'm sensing a theme." They read the book twice. Hank was getting drowsy. "Okay, little man. Time for bed." He carried his son to his room and put him to bed. As he was leaving, Hank whimpered a bit.

"Dada...hug?" The baby held his arms out for his daddy.

"Of course, buddy." He picked up his son and held him close. "Go night night now."

Booth closed the door and smiled to himself. No matter what was going on, playing trucks with his son always made things better.


	138. Chapter 138 Slave

_A/N: I wrote this story this past summer before Jared's problems and subsequent death were revealed in the new season. I decided to post it anyway, as a look at what could have been if Jared had been able to overcome his issues. No disrespect is intended._

"Those look like some nice steaks, Seeley. I guess you're going to be slaving over your fancy new grill getting those ready, right?"

"Well, nothing's too good for my little brother. I'm glad you and Padme could stop by on your way home. Bones and I have been wanting to see the twins."

"They're a handful, but I couldn't be prouder of them. We wanted to see your kids, too. Sorry we couldn't make it for Hank's baptism. It was too hard making another trip so close to Pops' funeral."

"We understood. So when do you start the new job?" Booth adjusted the flame and added the steaks.

Jared took a drink of his beer. "Next week. Aren't you proud of me getting an interview and job all by myself? It seems like you usually had to do that kind of stuff for me in the past."

"You may not believe this, Jared, but I've always been proud of you, even though most of the time you annoy the Hell out of me. I knew you would turn out okay, because of how Pops raised us. Seeing you with a beautiful family proves that.'

"If it makes you feel any better, you annoy the Hell out of me, too , but I've always admired you…..God, I must be drunk if I said that out loud. I've always bragged about you being my big brother. Pops did a good job with both of us."

They sipped their beer and watched the steaks sizzle. "I wish I had told Pops thanks last time I saw him, Seeley….I just didn't know it was gonna be the last time."

"Yeah...I guess you should tell people how you feel when you have the chance, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right….."


	139. Chapter 139 Slick

Booth came into the house stomping his feet and flapping his arms across his chest. "Damn...it's cold out there." He gave his wife a kiss. "The roads are really slick, too. I saw a lot of accidents on the way home. I'm glad the Jeffersonian gave you a snow day."

Brennan smiled as she met him at the door with Hank balanced on her hip. "It worked out well, since Christine's school was cancelled also. We did several different things today. And….we have a couple of surprises for you."

"Daddy! Guess what we did today! Come look out the window." Booth saw 4 snow people of various sizes in the back yard.

"Those snowpeople look like our family! What else did you do today?"

Christine beamed. "It's a s'prise. Hank's got a s'prise for you, too."

Brennan put Hank on the floor next to the ottoman. Hank pulled himself up, gave his daddy a big grin, and took 3 steps before falling on his bottom.

"He's walking! Oh my God! That's wonderful!" Booth scooped up the baby. "My little man's walking!"

"Daddy, come in the kitchen and look at my s'prise." Christine took her daddy's hand and led him to the counter where a slightly lopsided pie was sitting. "I helped Mommy bake an apple pie for you."

"Christine was quite helpful, Booth. She measured ingredients for me and shaped the crust. She's going to be a good cook."

Later that evening Brennan nestled next to Booth on the sofa as they talked about their day. "You know, Bones, I had a really crappy day at work, and driving in the snow made it that much worse. But coming home to my family like I did tonight...it was great. It almost makes me wish that every day was a snow day."


	140. Chapter 140 Missing

It was 9 am on a rainy Tuesday morning. Booth rolled over and put his arm around his wife. "Did Max get the kids taken care of?"

"He took Christine to school and Hank to daycare, and he'll pick them up and feed them dinner. They'll be back here for bedtime tonight." Brennan sighed as she snuggled next to Booth. "It's a lovely birthday gift, isn't it?"

"Yep. I love celebrating my birthday this way. Getting that card with the "take care of the kids" certificate was great. Max is a smart guy….that's probably why his daughter's so smart." Booth smiled and kissed Brennan.

"Do you feel guilty about missing work, Booth? The last time you were absent it seemed to be a catastrophe."

"I don't give a damn about missing work. Spending the day with my lovely wife is more important than work. What about you? Feeling twinges of guilt?"

Brennan smiled. "No….I haven't missed a day in a long time." She giggled as Booth pulled her closer. "What are your plans for today?"

"I don't have any plans. That's what makes it so great. I don't have to go anywhere or do anything…" Booth kissed Brennan again…"except maybe spending hours making love to you."

"But Booth, who'll make my breakfast?" She poked him in the side, teasing him. "I might get hungry."

"Or…", he whispered as he kissed her throat and caressed her breasts, "you may be so occupied that you forget about food...and just think about this…."

"Hmmm….yes….I understand….oh, Booth...that's wonderful", she purred. "Perhaps you're right...I won't have time for breakfast or lunch…"

Their phones rang in unison on their nightstands. It was work. Both phones were put in silent mode and thrown across their bedroom.

"Now, Booth….where were we?"


	141. Chapter 141 Monster

Booth flopped down on the bed. "Playing hug monster with Christine and Hank wears me out."

"They love it, Booth, but I hope you didn't get them too agitated before bedtime."

"Nah...we played hug monster a few minutes, read a couple of books, and brushed their teeth. They both had quick baths and were tucked into bed. So…." he flashed a cocky grin…."the rest of the evening is ours."

"Daddy?" Christine's voice came from the doorway. "I'm scared. I heard something in my room."

"Okay. Daddy to the rescue. Was it a lion?"

"No! You're silly, Daddy. It was a scratching noise."

"Is your hamster still in his house?"

"I don't know, Daddy. Please come look in my room."

"Alright." The hamster was still in his house. Booth looked under the bed and in the closet. "I don't see anything, Sweetheart." Then they heard scratching. "I know what that is. It's a branch from the cherry blossom tree. The wind is making it rub against the window. I'll fix it tomorrow, okay?"

Christine nodded. "Okay, Daddy." She crawled back into bed and her daddy tucked her in again. "Night night, Sweetheart."

Brennan was reading when Booth came back to the bedroom. "Did you vanquish the monster?"

He smiled. "Just a branch rubbing the house. I"ll fix it tomorrow." He took Brennan's book and put it on the night stand. "You know, I was thinking about the hug monster game."

"Really?" Brennan giggled.

"I think there's an adult version of that game. It's called the horny hug monster. Since I've already caught you…" Booth pulled her close to him... "and you've lost your nightgown…." he pulled it over her head... "you're going to get a special kind of hug."

Brennan laughed and kissed her husband. "It sounds like a great game…."


	142. Chapter 142 Kiss

Booth arrived home from work in a good mood. It was April 15...tax day, but also his birthday. Bones hadn't made any mention of it. She'd been notoriously bad about remembering dates, but he didn't think she'd forgotten since Christine had mentioned it earlier in the week.

He came into the kitchen and found his wife cooking dinner. "Hmmmm...that smells good." He kissed his wife. "And so do you. What's cooking?"

She smiled to herself, picturing his reaction. "Tofu and quinoa goulash. It's a new recipe I've been saving for a special occasion such as this evening."

Booth's jaw dropped. "Tofu for a special occasion? Really?" He was disgusted.

Brennan kept stirring. "Yes. Christine was named outstanding student for this month at school. Her teacher said her work was exemplary. Christine got to choose what she wanted for dinner. She likes tofu."

"How did any kid of mine decide they like tofu?" He sighed. He'd probably raid the refrigerator later so he wouldn't starve. "Where are the kids? Usually they run to meet me at the door."

"They'll be here in a little bit. Max took them to the park. If you want, go change clothes. We have plenty of time before dinner."

Booth slouched into the bedroom, feeling slightly sorry for himself. Bad enough they forgot his birthday, but having to eat tofu and quinoa would be the icing on the cake...if he had a birthday cake. Oh well...he was getting too old for birthdays, anyway.

About six o'clock the doorbell rang. "Booth, could you get that? I think Max forgot his key and my hands are dirty."

He'd just gotten comfortable. "Okay." He strode to the door impatiently and threw it open. "Max, you need your key…."

"SURPRISE!" shouted his friends and family. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOOTH!"


	143. Chapter 143 Administer

Booth squinted in the bright light, wondering why he was flat on his back. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"Wake up, Shrimp!"

"Pops? Am I in Heaven?"

"Yep...some bastard pushed you down some stairs, remember?"

"There wasn't a priest to administer Last Rites….am I supposed to be here?"

"About that…" Pops smiled. "Pete says there's been a slight mistake. You're not supposed to be here for another 50 years or so."

Booth sat up. "Pete?"

"You know, St. Peter? Keeper of the Pearly Gates? We're fishing buddies so I get to drop the saint part."

"Oh." Booth tried to shake off his dizziness. "Can you say 'bastard' in Heaven?"

"Yeah. The guy who pushed you is really a bastard. You gotta go back, but I've got two messages for you. Nana says your next daughter should be named Elizabeth after her, and your Uncle Bobby wants the next boy named after him."

"Uncle Bobby?"

"He was my older son. He died when your dad was 17...car accident. Oh, your dad says hi, too."

" Dad made it in? How'd that work?"

"Well, it's none of your business, but if you must know, Shrimp, he repented before he died."

Booth smiled. "I'm glad. Wait, Pops...did you say next daughter and next son? That'll put us up to five…"

"I know." Pops smiled and slapped Booth on the back. "We'll be watching, so make us proud. See you in 50 years…."

The light faded. "Booth?" Brennan was standing next to his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck." He smiled at his wife. "I'll be fine. Can I go home?"

"The doctor wants to keep you overnight for observation since you have a bad concussion."

Booth nodded. "Okay. By the way….we're gonna need a bigger house…."


	144. Chapter 144 Church

The church was dark except for the light coming from the candle signifying the presence of Christ. A man came in silently, genuflected, and lit a votive candle. He stood there watching it burn a few seconds, then knelt in prayer.

"St. Jude, it's me. I know I haven't spoken to you for about 8 years, since Bones and Hodgins were kidnapped and buried by the Gravedigger. I came to you then because it seemed there was no place else to go. I was so thankful for your help, as you know. At the time, it seemed like the kind of thing you specialize in...lost causes.

Well, I've got another lost cause. It's me...I'm the lost cause. I started gambling again, just to prove I could handle it, you know? To make me feel like a big shot, I guess. Now I can't stop. Sometimes I don't even want to stop. I think I'm gonna get a handle on it, and something makes me place one more bet.

Now I'm about to lose the woman I love and my kids because I can't stop gambling. That woman I prayed for? Bones?...the one that I thought was lost...I've violated her trust. She'd be right to give up on me...I've put her through Hell. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be the man I know I can be. I want to stop gambling. Please help me turn from being a lost cause, and help me take back my life. Please help me find the strength I need to ask for help so I can quit gambling. Please help me apologize to my wife for betraying her trust.

The man wiped away tears. "St. Jude, pray for me, as I am in despair and hopeless, in need of consolation…."


	145. Chapter 145 Bite

"Hey, Aldo." Booth sat down at the bar.

"Booth! Long time, man. What'll ya have?"

"I'll have what you're having. Here...buy yourself another." Booth laid a 20 dollar bill on the counter and took a swig. "Damn….that's got some bite to it. Are you sure this isn't drain cleaner?"

"What's on your mind, Booth?" Aldo eyed him suspiciously.

"Can't a guy just come visit his friend?" Booth took another drink. "Nothing's wrong, really."

"Your social calls always involve something more, Booth. Spill it."

Booth stared into his glass. "I guess you know I fell off the wagon with my gambling, right?"

"Yeah...I heard."

"Bones kicked me out of the house, but I went back to GA and I've been clean for six months now. We're back together."

"I'm glad things are better. What's the problem, Booth?"

"So...how do I know...it's silly, Aldo...how do I know when I've done enough penance? How do I know when I'm at a place where I deserve to have Bones love me again?"

"She's forgiven you, but you can't forgive yourself, right?"

"I guess so. I'm afraid I'm going to let her down again."

"I understand." Aldo nodded. "But in a situation like this it's not like you can go say 15 Hail Marys and feel better. I'd say that no one deserves to be loved or to be forgiven because all of us make stupid mistakes. That's what makes it so wonderful when we do get love and forgiveness from someone. It's always possible that you'll do something else stupid, but she loves you, and she'll forgive you if you do.

"That doesn't help me one damn bit."

"The only thing that will help is time, Booth. You'll learn to trust yourself again." Aldo smiled. "More drain cleaner?"

"Sure...why not? Thanks, Aldo."


	146. Chapter 146 Exile

My name is Seeley. I have a gambling problem. I'd been in recovery for several years, but I recently had a relapse. It was difficult and embarrassing, having to start all over again to regain the self-respect I'd found when I was in recovery the first time.

The main reason I had a relapse, I think, was because of pride. I thought I could handle a little gambling here and there because I'd been strong for so long. I was wrong….really wrong. It's only through the grace of God that I've realized how wrong I was. I finally came to that realization because my wife had the guts to kick me out of the house.

I was in exile….a refugee. I had an apartment for a while, but no real place to call home. Everything I loved was gone because of my stupid pride, and to make it worse, I didn't really know if I'd ever be able to get it back again. My wife would've been within her rights to divorce me, take our children, and leave town….that's how badly I'd damaged her trust. Thank God she chose to love me and stand by me until I finally hit bottom and decided to get my life back together again.

I'm telling you this not because I want your praise or your pity. I just want you to know that everybody can make mistakes, but, with enough help, if a person wants to turn his life around, it can be done. I know...I did it. I don't deserve the love and support my wife, friends, and family have given me, but I thank God every day for it.

And so, Parker, that's it. That's the story. I'm sorry I've disappointed you, but you had to know the truth.

Love,

Dad


	147. Chapter 147 Sad

The house was dark except for the lamp by Booth's favorite chair. He sat looking through the box that held all of his father's worldly possessions. Today would've been his father's seventieth birthday. It was sad to think that everything from his father's life could be contained in one small wooden box.

"Daddy?"

"Christine! What are you doing out of bed? It's late…"

"I just woke up. What are you looking at?" She came over and stood by his chair.

"Some old pictures. Do you want to see?" She nodded and crawled onto his lap. "This is a picture of my Daddy and me when I was about your age."

Christine looked at the picture in amazement. She couldn't imagine her Daddy being a little boy. "What were you doing? Is that Pops?"

Booth shook his head and smiled. "No...Pops was my grandfather. This was my Daddy. The river by our house froze solid so we went ice skating." He saw the confused look on her face. "I know it's hard to understand. My Daddy was sick for a long time, so I couldn't live at his house any more. I went to live with Pops instead."

"Like when you left us for a while?"

Booth sighed softly. "Yes, like that.….except I came back to live with you. You'll understand better when you're older. Look, here's my Daddy and me at a baseball game, and here's a medal he got from the Air Force. Here's a card I made him…"

Christine leaned against her Daddy and drifted off to sleep. Booth smiled at his little girl and thought of his father again, wondering if he had cherished memories of small moments like this with his sons. Memories like these were much more valuable than anything that could be stored in a box.


	148. Chapter 148 Build

Booth and Brennan had gone away for a weekend together, just the two of them. Booth had wanted to bring the kids, but Brennan knew they still had some things to work out by themselves.

Finally they had enough time to talk about how things stood between them. They sat staring into the fire, each waiting for the other to speak.

Booth cleared his throat. "Bones...It's hard for me to find the words for how thankful I am...not only that you got my attention by making me leave the house, but also for taking me back." His eyes filled with tears. "I'm so grateful…."

"Booth...do you remember when we worked on the Cleo Eller case?"

"Yeah...why?''

"You told me something then that I still remember….that partners share things because that builds trust. Right?"

"Right….I was trying to get you to open up to me." Booth couldn't figure out where Bones was going with her reasoning.

"Over the years we've shared lots of things, professionally and personally, good and bad. You know a lot about me, and I know a lot about you…"

Booth interrupted. "I'd say you know everything about me." He smiled.

"So if we know that much about each other, it follows, according to your statement, that we've built up a lot of trust, correct?"

Booth nodded. "I guess so."

Brennan continued carefully. "That means that even though there were times I didn't trust you…"

"When I was gambling again?"

"Yes... those times were outweighed by all the times I did trust you over the years. I decided I could risk taking you back."

"I love you, Bones." He kissed her. "I'll prove myself worthy of your trust again. I promise."

"You will, Booth." She snuggled next to him and smiled. "I know you will."


	149. Chapter 149 Smell

The kids were in bed. It was just the two of them, snuggled together on the sofa, enjoying each other's company.

"Hmmmm. You smell good, Bones. What is that scent? I can't place it…."

"I'm not wearing any perfume tonight. Is it the seasoning I used on the vegetables?"

"No, you don't smell like vegetable seasoning! What I'm smelling is sweet and flowery. It reminds me of that bed and breakfast in Cape Hatteras with those flowering vines outside the window..."

"I think what you're smelling is the dish soap. I accidently bought floral scented soap instead of unscented." She smiled slyly. "Scents are known to trigger memories. What do you remember about Cape Hatteras?"

He grinned and pulled her closer. "I remember we spent a lot of time in bed and not much time at breakfast. Did we even make it out to see the beach?"

She nestled next to him. "You know, scent is also important for humans in choosing mates. When women ovulate they're more sensitive to certain male pheromones. It could be that I've chosen you as our children's father simply because of your scent…."

Booth was a little disgusted. "You picked me just because of my body odor?"

"No!" Brennan laughed. "I picked you for a lot of reasons. However, it may be that your scent is extremely attractive to me when I'm ovulating so I'm more susceptible than normal to your many charms."

He wasn't convinced. "So those faromines….do they work the other way? Because….I'm not kidding…", as he caressed her and nibbled her ear, "that floral scent is making me really hot…"

"Pheromones." Brennan giggled. "But I think it's the soap scent triggering your memories of sex at Cape Hatteras instead of pheromones…"

"Hmm…I see…." He kissed her passionately. "How about we make some new memories…."


	150. Chapter 150 Embrace

"What's that, Booth?" Brennan pointed to a file on the kitchen counter.

"A list of the qualifications needed to be a deputy director. I'm not a young guy any more. Maybe instead of fighting the changes in my body, I should embrace them and get out of field work."

"You want to be a deputy director?"

Booth shrugged. "Jamison is taking a position in the Treasury Department. He thinks I'm a lock for his job if I want it, especially since my department has such an excellent record. More money, less danger, less wear and tear on me. Sounds like a good deal."

"You don't sound enthusiastic, Booth."

"You don't think I should do it?"

Brennan sat down next to him. "If you want to take the job, of course I'll support you. However, I know how much you dislike bureaucratic paperwork."

"True, but I can't be a field agent forever…"

"Which is why I printed this for you." Brennan handed Booth a file. "The FBI training academy is looking for qualified instructors. I think you'd be perfect for this."

"Bones, we've been through this before." Booth shook his head. "I wouldn't be a good teacher."

"Booth, you're already a good teacher. You've mentored many new agents who've gone on to have successful careers. You've influenced the way they do their jobs and helped them develop a sense of pride in their work." Brennan smiled, laying her hand on his. "I've learned many teaching methods from you that I use when mentoring my interns."

"Really?"

"Yes. The FBI needs you to use those talents to teach new agents."

"I don't know..."

"I'll support whatever decision you make, Booth. You might even decide to stay where you are. I just want you to be happy."

"Your support is what's most important to me. Thanks, Bones."


	151. Chapter 151 Crisis

"Well, Bones", said Booth, as he sipped his Scotch, "I'm not gonna be a Deputy Director."

"What prompted you to make that decision?" She sat next to him on the sofa.

"I've been sitting in with Jamison, kind of getting a feel for the job. The big crisis today wasn't a crime spree or a terrorism alert. It was how much paper to order and who to order it from so we could balance the quarterly budget. I'd just be a fancy pencil pusher."

"I see." Brennan sipped her wine. "I thought you wanted this promotion. You said it was the next logical step...more money, less wear and tear…."

Booth interrupted. "The stress of being in an office all day counting paperclips and making duty rosters would wear on me more than being in the field. Besides...there's another reason."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I realized I gotta be involved in the actual crime solving stuff...working with you or with Aubrey or with someone else. I can't just sit around and watch somebody else do it. I have to help people."

"I know. You're a very empathetic person, Booth. Sitting in an office away from the action would be quite detrimental to your mental health."

"I'll work in Major Crimes for a few more years, and then take my wife's good advice and try to get on at Quantico. If I do that, though, I won't get a raise, and I'll still have some wear and tear. Are you okay with that?"

Brennan smiled. "I think it's an excellent decision. I think it will make you happy, and that will make me happy."

"You're a great wife, you know that?" Booth pulled her close. "I'm the luckiest man who ever lived."

"There's no such thing as luck…"

He kissed her. "Oh, yeah….there's luck…"


	152. Chapter 152 The End

"Hey, Bones...you know what today is?"

"March 15, the Ides of March…..Is that an important day for the FBI because of the famous murder?"

"NO! It's one month until my birthday! I'll finally have enough points to retire with full benefits! I can't wait to turn in my paperwork!"

"Retire? Are you sure you want to retire, Booth? Remember when you took that 6 month leave of absence? You begged them to let you come back after 2 weeks."

"This time it's gonna be different. I can coach Hank's baseball team, and when Parker comes to visit this summer I can spend time with him. It's gonna be great!"

"Parker can drive now so I'm sure he'll want to go a few places without you. What will you do with your free time when Parker goes back home and baseball is over?"

"I haven't decided yet. Part of the fun of being retired is that you don't have to decide...you can do whatever you want."

"I guess it will be the end of an era for the FBI if you aren't the Special Agent in Charge. Who will replace you? Aubrey?"

"I don't really care, because I'll be retired. It could be Daisy Wick for all I care. You act like you don't think this is a good idea, Bones... You don't think I should retire?"

"I just think you'll be bored if you don't have to go to work every day. You might feel like you have to replace all the plumbing in the house or buy another car to restore. If it's something you feel strongly about, I will support your decision. If you're just looking for a change, why not reconsider applying at Quantico to teach? You'd be so good at that."

"A teacher? I don't think so…."


	153. Chapter 153 Declare

"Happy Anniversary, Booth!" Brennan grinned as she kissed her husband.

"Happy Anniversary, Bones! Forty years. Lots of people thought we wouldn't make it four years, let alone forty. You're still as beautiful as the day I met you..."

"Perhaps you should clean your glasses, Booth. I'm wrinkled, my hair is gray, and I've put on some weight."

"You'll always be beautiful to me. I can't help it. I love you more every day."

"And you're still the same handsome man." She smiled. "I still remember the first time you declared your love for me, Booth. It was early in the morning the day after Vincent died, remember? We'd made love, and…"

"That wasn't the first time, Bones…"

He must be a bit confused, she thought. "Yes, Booth….remember, we were laying together on the bed, naked, and you said I was the most beautiful woman you'd ever known…"

"Believe me, Bones...I remember that morning….oh, boy, do I remember...but the first time I told you I loved you was on the street corner while we worked that case with the bodies under the fountain….don't you remember?"

She remembered that, but she was confused. "You said you loved me in an 'atta girl' way. Does that count?"

Booth shrugged. "I don't know...I meant I loved you in a romantic way, but that damn clown shook me up. I'd forgotten for a minute that I didn't like clowns, and it made me doubt myself."

"Oh. I wish I'd known…"

"The point is, I've loved you for a long time, and you still love me. So we're set for another forty years, right?" He smiled broadly. "And I'll still think you're as beautiful as the day I met you."

"You're right, Booth. I still love you, and we're set for the next forty years."


	154. Chapter 154 Emotional

_A/N: a personal indulgence for one of my favorite fictional characters..._

FBI Director James Aubrey stood up at the head table. "May I have your attention, please?" The crowd grew quiet. "We're here to honor a man who's given the FBI 40 years of service: first as an agent, then as an instructor, and finally as FBI Academy Superintendent. Ladies and Gentlemen….my friend, Seeley Booth."

After the standing ovation, Director Aubrey began again. "Booth represents everything good about the FBI: courage, loyalty, integrity, and faithfulness. He is the epitome of what every one of us should strive to be." More applause. "That's why the agency has chosen to rename the award given to outstanding agents each year. From today forward, it will be known as the Seeley J. Booth Award of Excellence." Another standing ovation ensued.

Booth was in shock. He knew they were going to honor him with a retirement dinner, but this was a surprise beyond comprehension. He saw his wife's smile. "You knew? You kept this a secret?"

She nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "I'm so proud of you, Booth."

It was time for Booth to speak to the people gathered in the room. Looking over the crowd he saw his colleagues from the Jeffersonian and the FBI as well as agents he had mentored over the years. His children were there with their spouses and his grandchildren.

"Thank you. I'm overwhelmed…. I'm too emotional right now to make much sense. What I've realized through the years is that my success at the FBI wasn't because of my abilities. My wife and my co-workers have all contributed to my work at the FBI, and without them I would be nothing. This recognition belongs to all of them. Thanks again."

Booth sat down to thunderous applause, smiling through tears, and kissed his wife.

"Well, Bones….I guess I made a difference after all….."


	155. Chapter 155 Invincible

_A/N: This entry is well over 300 words, but I needed all of them. Warning...this one is set about 50 years in the future...and it's sad..._

Parker was sitting alone with his drink, trying to gather his thoughts. It was hard to believe they were both really gone. He'd been convinced they were invincible after everything they'd gone through together, but the ravages of time couldn't be defeated forever...not even by a special agent and a genius scientist.

Bones had managed her failing memory with her usual honesty. If she couldn't remember something, she'd say so. Eventually, it was almost all gone….everything she knew, everything she'd done, everything she'd written. Parker's dad had said it was okay...he remembered enough for both of them.

Then the dreaded day came. Bones didn't recognize her husband anymore. Parker remembered hearing the devastation in his father's voice when he called. Bones had been his father's reason for living...and she couldn't even remember his name.

Things went downhill fast, and Parker began the grieving process. He knew in his heart that when Bones died, his father wouldn't last long, and he'd been right. Booth followed his beloved Bones a day later….he couldn't stand to live without her.

"Ready, Sweetheart?" Meredith had come to get him.

"Yeah...I guess." They walked into the crowded reception room.

"Good afternoon", Parker began, trying to keep his emotions in check. "My sisters and brothers have asked me to speak to you about our parents. I've thought a long time about what to say… about their adventures and exploits, their urge to seek truth and justice at all costs, their many special abilities...but when it comes right down to it, what we should remember about them is their love. They loved each other recklessly, intensely, with abandon, without reservation and without judgment….and they loved all of us the same way. We, in turn, learned to love others with that same reckless intensity." Parker brushed tears away. "That is their legacy...more than anything else….their ability to love. We were all blessed to have experienced that love, and we can honor them best by giving that love to others. So please join me in a toast to the memories of Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan. They taught us how to love, and how to live."

 _A/N 2: This entry ends this microfiction series. The rest of the entries were combined into longer stories. However, if anyone out there has suggestions for additional stories, let me know, and I'll see what I can do. Thank you for all the nice reviews. Laura_


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